A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Vagabond Players & Alchemy Theatre
present
A Midsummer Night's Dream
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Matthew Davenport
Summer theatre returns to The Bernie Legge Theatre with an Alchemy Theatre and Vagabond Players co-production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, running from July 29 to August 16.
The course of true love never did run smoothly, but who expected fairies and magic flowers? On a midsummer’s night, a quartet of mismatched lovers and a band of inept actors wander into an enchanted forest where they find themselves embroiled in a dispute between the king and queen of the fairies. Romance, confusion, and desire all unite as our characters experience the inexplicable magic of love and the wonder of waking dreams. Some of Shakespeare’s most dazzling, dramatic poetry is found in this glittering and inventive comedic masterpiece, whose seriousness is only fleetingly glimpsed beneath its dreamlike surface.
A magical classic with a contemporary twist, the Alchemy Theatre and Vagabond Players co-production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream stars Rose McNeil and Joshua Tompke as Titania and Oberon, queen and king of the controlling and manipulative fairies that inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. The fairies comprise of Heather English as Peaseblossom, Nina Dosdall as Cobweb, Claire Temple as Moth, Amelia Ross as Fawn, and Ben Groberman as Mustardseed. The fairies work to tend to Bottom, played by Matthew Simmons, after Titania falls in love with him. Bottom is joined by other mechanicals including Julian Legere as Quince, Alex Ross as Flute, Chris Fofonoff as Starveling, and Julien Amar as Snout, who are collectively charged with putting on a play celebrating the marriage of Theseus, the heroic duke of Athens played by Kurtis Maguire, and Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons played by Tiffany Markwart. Egeus, played by Lori Watt, is the villainous mother of Hermia, played by Carly June Friesen. When Egeus brings a complaint to Theseus that her daughter will not marry Demetrius, Matt Veenbaas, Hermia runs away with her true love Lysander, played by Kyle Wipp. Confusion abounds when Oberon’s jester Puck, played by Boris Bilic, causes both Lysander and Demetrius to inexplicably fall in love with Helena, Ally Schuurman, much to Hermia's devastation.
July 29 - August 16, 2015
Thursday – Saturday at 8pm and Saturday - Sunday matinees at 2pm
The Bernie Legge Theatre, Queen’s Park, New Westminster
Tickets: Adults - $15 Seniors/Youth - $13
$10 preview nights on July 29 and 30
Reservations: 604-521-0412 or reservations@vagabondplayers.ca
