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Yesterday evening, I skipped bell ringing practice at St. Giles to accompany my beloved ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cheshcat and the charismatic bunnypip to the Oxford Playhouse. There we saw a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream put on by the Propeller. The group taking MSND and The Merchant of Venice on an international tour, sponsored by The Watermill Theatre here in England.
Originally, I had no interest in seeing this show.bunnypip and I had seen the Royal Shakespeare Company perform MSND last year... and cheshcat and I had seen the Oxford Shakespeare Company perform it the year before that. In fact, I knew of no fewer than five productions of MSND that I could have seen last year -- it is almost certainly the most over-performed of the Bard's plays! Additionally, the Propeller production is using an all-male cast for both shows. Whilst I know that all of Shakespeare's plays were originally performed without women, I have little interest in such gender exclusion now. The one previous exposure -- an all-female production of Henry V performed at Smith College -- had not managed to impress me. I only decided to come along because cheshcat and bunnypip had wanted to go. Indeed, I nearly sent the two of them on without me!
On this matter, I am quite happy to admit that I was entirely wrong! Propeller's interpretation of MSND was brilliant... and hysterically funny. Indeed, I think that it may be the funniest production of the play that I have ever seen. For pure quality of production, it cannot compare with RSC, of course! No one was lowered from the ceiling or flew, Bottom's ass head was a hat with a pair or ears instead of a full donkey head, and part of Pyramus's sword -- which was a plunger -- unintentionally flew off stage during his death. Similarly, I know thatcheshcat saw a stunning version of MSND performed by an Indian theatre company in 2007. Yet, somehow, being very different from the other shows, this interpretation held its own quite nicely. Also, the all male cast led to lots of gender bending and some delicious queering of Shakespeare! Good fun, indeed!
I would recommend my New York friends to catch this show as it passes through the Brooklyn Academy of Music... except that it was already there last month. I would definitely recommend it to my UK friends, as its tour continues. And if I really wanted to catch it again, I could try to see it in Tokyo next month, when I return to Japan!
This weekend will break a four week streak of exploring new part of England[*]. On Saturday morning,cheshcat and I will venture to Birmingham to watch my clever bunnypip graduate and receive her undergraduate degree! This should be very exciting, as I am quite proud of her! Saturday afternoon will be spent napping... as Saturday night will find me celebrating the Solstice at Stonehenge once again! As with last year and the year before, I will mark the shortest night by spending all of it -- from sunset to sunrise -- with thirty thousand of my closest friends at Stonehenge. If the past two years are any indication, this should be a blast!
Oddly enough, it seems that I have been living in Oxford long enough to have developed some annual traditions now! By "traditions", I mean that I have been doing them regularly for at least three years. In April, I go to see the bluebell carpet at the Harcourt Arboretum. In May, I celebrate May morning by participating in the dawn festivities in the Oxford city centre. In June, I go to Stonehenge for Solstice[**]. In July, I return to the States for Starwood (and other Summer fun). It seems strange to have been here for so long now...
[*] And Scotland. And Canada.
[**] Also part of this tradition seems to be taking entirely different people with me each Summer. And rain, in varying amounts[***]. This year will be no exception to the first rule... but I am dearly hoping that the Weather Gods continue to keep me in their favour!
[***] In 2007, the sky was clear through the night, but clouded up -- with a sprinkle of rain -- just before dawn. In 2008, the sky was cloudy the whole time, with rain to accompany it. Much less pleasant! The forecast current says a 20% chance of rain and partial cloud cover. I tend to be skeptical of forecasts... but I hope that this one plays out. Despite three Solstices at Stonehenge so far -- two Summer and one Winter -- I have yet to see the sunrise shining over the horizon and into the Stone Circle!
cheshcat and the charismatic bunnypip to the Oxford Playhouse. There we saw a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream put on by the Propeller. The group taking MSND and The Merchant of Venice on an international tour, sponsored by The Watermill Theatre here in England. Originally, I had no interest in seeing this show.
bunnypip and I had seen the Royal Shakespeare Company perform MSND last year... and cheshcat and I had seen the Oxford Shakespeare Company perform it the year before that. In fact, I knew of no fewer than five productions of MSND that I could have seen last year -- it is almost certainly the most over-performed of the Bard's plays! Additionally, the Propeller production is using an all-male cast for both shows. Whilst I know that all of Shakespeare's plays were originally performed without women, I have little interest in such gender exclusion now. The one previous exposure -- an all-female production of Henry V performed at Smith College -- had not managed to impress me. I only decided to come along because cheshcat and bunnypip had wanted to go. Indeed, I nearly sent the two of them on without me!On this matter, I am quite happy to admit that I was entirely wrong! Propeller's interpretation of MSND was brilliant... and hysterically funny. Indeed, I think that it may be the funniest production of the play that I have ever seen. For pure quality of production, it cannot compare with RSC, of course! No one was lowered from the ceiling or flew, Bottom's ass head was a hat with a pair or ears instead of a full donkey head, and part of Pyramus's sword -- which was a plunger -- unintentionally flew off stage during his death. Similarly, I know that
cheshcat saw a stunning version of MSND performed by an Indian theatre company in 2007. Yet, somehow, being very different from the other shows, this interpretation held its own quite nicely. Also, the all male cast led to lots of gender bending and some delicious queering of Shakespeare! Good fun, indeed!I would recommend my New York friends to catch this show as it passes through the Brooklyn Academy of Music... except that it was already there last month. I would definitely recommend it to my UK friends, as its tour continues. And if I really wanted to catch it again, I could try to see it in Tokyo next month, when I return to Japan!
This weekend will break a four week streak of exploring new part of England[*]. On Saturday morning,
cheshcat and I will venture to Birmingham to watch my clever bunnypip graduate and receive her undergraduate degree! This should be very exciting, as I am quite proud of her! Saturday afternoon will be spent napping... as Saturday night will find me celebrating the Solstice at Stonehenge once again! As with last year and the year before, I will mark the shortest night by spending all of it -- from sunset to sunrise -- with thirty thousand of my closest friends at Stonehenge. If the past two years are any indication, this should be a blast!Oddly enough, it seems that I have been living in Oxford long enough to have developed some annual traditions now! By "traditions", I mean that I have been doing them regularly for at least three years. In April, I go to see the bluebell carpet at the Harcourt Arboretum. In May, I celebrate May morning by participating in the dawn festivities in the Oxford city centre. In June, I go to Stonehenge for Solstice[**]. In July, I return to the States for Starwood (and other Summer fun). It seems strange to have been here for so long now...
[*] And Scotland. And Canada.
[**] Also part of this tradition seems to be taking entirely different people with me each Summer. And rain, in varying amounts[***]. This year will be no exception to the first rule... but I am dearly hoping that the Weather Gods continue to keep me in their favour!
[***] In 2007, the sky was clear through the night, but clouded up -- with a sprinkle of rain -- just before dawn. In 2008, the sky was cloudy the whole time, with rain to accompany it. Much less pleasant! The forecast current says a 20% chance of rain and partial cloud cover. I tend to be skeptical of forecasts... but I hope that this one plays out. Despite three Solstices at Stonehenge so far -- two Summer and one Winter -- I have yet to see the sunrise shining over the horizon and into the Stone Circle!
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As we have previously discussed, though, I think that you would enjoy the Winter Solstices much more. First off, they are colder -- which you inherently prefer. Secondly, there are a couple of thousand people -- instead of tens of thousands. Third, they only last for a couple of hours around the dawn, whereas the Summer Solstice celebrations last all night. And, finally, the atmosphere is much more reverent at the Winter Solstice; most people coming for the Summer one treat it as a big party (with much in the way of drugs and alcohol).
After accompanying me to Summer Solstice at Stonehenge in 2007,
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I don't mind all-night parties with drugs and alcohol, even in a religious context - although I'd be a little worried about damage to the sacred site by over-enthusiastic partiers. But I do think Yule would be a deeper experience, especially since I was born near the Winter Solstice, and have always felt a connection to the mystical qualities of the long, dark, starry night. Ah well, someday I'll get there...
P.S. - take a look in my LJ (http://acelightning.livejournal.com/115449.html); I think you and