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Mark Campbell, Theatre reviewer
Wednesday, 27 October, 2010
10:26 AM

Rarely have I experienced such a ‘wall of noise’ as that which greeted me on entering The Orchard theatre in Dartford recently.

The sound of 700 excited children may have had the ushers wishing they were somewhere quieter (London Zoo perhaps) but I thought it was wonderful – a real sign that these kids were looking forward to something special.

The something special was a fabulous new touring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by those talented folk at Shakespeare 4 Kidz (S4K). The Bard may be turning in his grave at the ‘text-speak’ abbreviation, but I’m sure he would appreciate the clarity and humour of Julian Chenery’s adaptation.

While retaining some 20 per cent of Shakespeare’s original dialogue, this is a pared-down version of the oft-performed play, written to appeal to children. But adults will find much to savour in the deliberately arch comedy routines and clever wordplay.

From the get-go, Noel Andrew Harron dominated proceedings as a delightfully impish Puck, attendant to the more seriously minded Oberon, King of the Fairies (Richard Munday, also playing the Duke of Athens). His comic acrobatics held the young audience spellbound.

Luke Glover was a delightfully camp Lysander (shades of Jim Dale in his heyday), with Harry Smith a stocky, lantern-jawed Demetrius, who marched around the stage like a comic strip hero on steroids.

Sean Luckham as the coarse actor Nick Bottom was very funny, although hampered in his animal state by a cumbersome ass’s head which put paid to any balletic tomfoolery. Thankfully, this was restored for a long and drawn-out death scene that could have – perhaps sometimes has – gone on forever. As long as the audience kept laughing, Luckham kept dying!

The tone was consistently lighthearted, and the story of jinxed lovers and mistaken identity was clearly and simply laid out. The sub-plot of the Indian Prince was the only time when the audience became restless. Perhaps S4K could think about cutting this completely? Heresy? Perhaps.

What was slightly odd was the referencing of fairies (Peaseblossom, Cobweb and Mustardseed, but oddly no Moth) without actually seeing them. If you’re going to cut characters, you probably shouldn’t even mention them. We had just the one unnamed fairy, played by Claire Coultry.

Chock-a-block with contemporary references (“Bring on the wall!” was the cleverest) and at times truly magical, this was a marvellous introduction to the Bard’s best-loved work.

l S4K’s Dream will be coming to the Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells (01892 530613) on November 1, and the Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon (0208 6889291) on November 3-4. For more information, go to www.shakespeare4kidz.com.