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Dominic Dromgoole’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is just that: dreamy. It has everything you could want from a woodland romp – gorgeous costumes, plenty of gags and superb acting, but is never cliché, nor rests on the Globe’s laurels.

This production uses both Elizabethan staging and costumes though you’d be mistaken to think it fusty: John Light’s Oberon and Matthew Tennyson’s Puck both bare their chests, while Michelle Terry as Titania skips about in a fur pelt skirt that looks straight off a runway. The fairies’ costumes are also stripped down; trousers and corsets are embellished with natural materials like twigs and mud, as well as animal features such as feathers and stag horns. Delicate winged creatures these fairies are not. Instead, they snarl and shriek like a wild chorus, adding an element of danger to the forest scenes. Their bestial and androgynous clothing contrasts heavily with the pristine, stiffly laced, and heavily gendered garments of the humans in the Athenian court. But when the four young Athenian lovers get lost in the woods, they gradually become more uncivilised and less dressed, which makes for an interesting crash course on the various layers of Renaissance garb.

The set design by Jonathan Fenson is pleasingly simple: the existing polished brown wood and red ‘marble’ arches of the Globe suit the pomp of the court scenes, and these earthy tones, when coupled with foliage and green tapestry curtains, equally complement the autumnal imagining of the forest scenes. As an outdoor venue, staging Midsummer at the Globe is always a special experience, but the rejection of the usual floral, sunny features is a welcome change and actually matches the overcast day of recording rather well. Opting for a darker, cruder design captures the more mysterious and animalistic themes of magic and lust within the play.

The opening of the production begins uniquely with a dance sequence reflecting a battle between male swordsmen and female archers, in which Hippolyta is bested and won as a war trophy wife. This completely alters the meaning of the first lines between King Theseus and his new bride. They are not a lovesick couple longing for their wedding day but a growling Lord and his bitter captive (both roles played brilliantly with seething venom by Light and Terry). This patriarchal tyranny informs the next shocking scene where Hermia’s father reminds his daughter that the penalty for disobeying him is death. In the forest, we learn there is also trouble in paradise where the tension is mirrored between the fairy king and queen; themes of misogyny are not brushed under the woodland carpet and the threat of violence lingers here too. When the young lovers enter the realm however, things do take a turn for the ‘fancy free’. In this version, the line ‘What fools these mortals be’ rings true as the lovers are played less seriously – a valid interpretation for me, as Shakespeare’s device of having them ultimately wake up and fall in love with the ‘correct’ person is a silly notion in the first place. All young actors give accomplished performances, Hermia (Oliva Ross) and Helena (Sarah Macrae) as headstrong women and Lysander (Luke Thompson) and Demetrius (Joshua Silver) as hapless posh boys.

Stand out performances also come from Michelle Terry, the Globe’s current artistic director, whose Titania is just as haughty as her Hippolyta, though more full of the joys of spring – or summer. John Light adopts a husky Irish accent for his Oberon and his ultra-masculine portrayal contrasts with Matthew Tennyson’s boyish Puck. The pair makes a great duo, employing Sian Williams’ tactile choreography – the use of gymnastics and swinging ropes also bring out the production’s playfulness. The tactility flows into romance: everyone, regardless of gender or species, seems to be getting it on in this production.

It’s Bottom, however, who steals the show; Pearce Quigley is a comic genius, his Salford accent thicker than gravy with cheesy chips and his performance raises belly laughs from the audience. The comedy is ramped up with the Mechanicals, a usual audience favourite, who certainly don’t disappoint here. The infamous roll call is blocked clearly and each actor’s intonation allows us to fully understand the dialogue. Though the Mechanicals’ questionable acting skills mean they shouldn’t give up their day jobs, director Dromgoole adds yet another trade to the craftmen’s collective wheelhouse – clog dancing. Bottom the Weaver and Peter Quince (a brilliant Fergal McElherron) clash fantastically; Bottom undermines micro-managing Peter (‘Peter?’) through constantly interrupting and forgetting Peter’s name, but the rivalry is ultimately settled with a ‘clog off’, where Peter whips out a delightfully anachronistic moon walk.

The play within a play brings the comedy to a crescendo and is a great reward for the near 3 hour runtime, though this production is definitely no chore to watch. ‘Director’-cum-‘narrator’ Peter is in his element and his campy, over-bearing manner wouldn’t be out of place in any am-dram rehearsal room. Under his direction, the misguided players bring out a pop-up replica of the Globe itself, which is wonky and requires periodic mending by Snug (an understated Edward Peel), regardless of whether the sound of hammering and the piggybacking of actors is a tad distracting to both ‘players’ and their courtly audience. Things only get worse (or rather, better) when Wall’s (Tom Lawrence) huge costume threatens to eclipse the entire structure and his ‘crannied hole’ is set in a very unfortunate place. ‘Beauteous’ Thisbe (Christopher Logan) provides no respite to this theatre of the absurd as her portrait is visually terrifying, all garish face paint and huge hooped skirt which upturns in her death scene, though this is too drawn out and the audience’s laughter drops off a little. Despite the otherwise successfully overblown actions and slapstick tone, these elements are contrasted with many pregnant pauses, subtle glances and small gestures, all timed perfectly to alter the pace and heighten the comedy. As the play in miniature and play proper draw to a close, the cast have us eating out of the palm of their hands.

The live music, composed by Claire Van Kampen, is sparse but used to good effect: the traditional fanfare frames the opening sequence, and periodic drums and strings create an eerie atmosphere to signify the faeries’ arrivals. The accompanying wordless singing is unearthly and a perfect fit; as such, it also closes the show with a final masque, categorising this production as both beautiful and haunting.

With innovative interpretation, visual flair and real comic wit, the Globe’s 2013 performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is, dare I say, the best version I’ve ever seen. Acapella vocals and traditional yet naturalistic costume take Shakespeare’s deceptively dark comedy back to its roots, but in doing so, breathe fresh life into it. It’s passionate, stirring, and above all, funny – they must have taken Bottom’s plea to heart and took pains – for it was perfect.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is available to watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cAwaNRIEF8

In this exclusive interview Welsh actress Michelle McTernan spoke to Director of Get the Chance, Guy O’Donnell about her training in Wales, the work of Rising Stars Theatre Company and where she thinks funding for the Arts in Wales should be prioritised.

Hi Michele great to meet you, so what got you interested in the arts?

I was 8 years old and my dad took me to see ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ at The Citizens Theatre, Glasgow. I was amazed. I found myself not so much engrossed with the story but with the whole experience. I wanted to be on the stage acting, I wanted to be the one to make others feel what I was feeling.

Later at 15 I auditioned for West Glamorgan Youth Theatre which had a profound effect on me. It helped develop an appreciation of the arts. It instilled a sense of discipline, character and respect. As well as being fun it also created new friendships some of which I still have to this day.

I got into The National Youth Theatre Company and that sealed it for me. I wanted to be an actress.

During Lockdown Rising Stars Theatre Company have launched a new book called “How do you get a Rainbow in your heart when its in the sky?” I believe you launched during Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental Health is a huge issue during Lockdown, can you tell me more about the book and your intentions for it?

It is such a  beautiful book and we are so proud of it. The book was born out of a zoom session where we asked the students to give us words associated with Rainbows. One of the students asked “How do you get a rainbow in your heart when it’s in the sky?” This felt so profound to me. It was although he had said “How do we find hope when it feels so far away?”. I just thought that that was how many children and those with disabilities were feeling right now. So we sent out a task to put the words into a sentence or a story.  One of our volunteers wrote the story and another illustrated it. We’re lucky to have such talent. We then had it printed and decided that it would be free to school hubs, food banks, Women’s Aid group and all minority groups.

We have just had it translated into welsh and are  currently having more printed. We also  have an online version which is fully accessible and will be launched in July. To date 2000 books have been distributed and not just in Wales, the books have gone to Italy, New  Zealand and Australia. The response has been incredible.

During Lockdown a range of arts organisations and individuals are now working online or finding new ways to reach out to audiences. Have you seen any particularly good examples of this way of working?

We’re all looking for new ways to communicate and connect with others. I’ve been involved with lots of friend/ family quizzes, zoom webinars, chats and discussions about the arts I was part of a live zoom production where we had 2 rehearsals, a tech and then went Live to a paying audience of 200 people. It worked but was so alien.

One thing I’m happy to see is The Far Away Plays set up  by Fran Goodridge and  Scott Arthur. It’s a new online platform for reading both established and new plays. It allows actors, directors and creatives to keep their minds focused on what they do best and at the same time networking and seeing who else is out there.

Work is scarce at the moment but I’m lucky to be involved with Hijinx Theatre Company and have taught some zoom classes and set tasks to keep everyone busy during this time. Also at Hijinx, we’re  working on an R&D for later in the summer. The process is strange and different but we are making it fun by setting games, doing breakout rooms and using what we have around us to create ideas for the production.

If you were able to fund an area of the arts in Wales what would this be and why?

I’d like to see more funding for creative arts within schools and bring back drama departments to those schools who have lost them.  We need to invest in the next generation of theatregoers.. Teachers should be encouraged to bring their students to the theatres and more funding would that possible. I would also like to see more investment into making theatre for actresses over 40s. 

 What excites you about the Arts in Wales?

The quality of new writing within Wales right now is incredible. In fact I’ll go as far to say that we are leading the way in that respect.

 What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?

The last show I saw in a theatre was my husband in Pantomime.  ‘Sleeping Beauty’ at The Regent Theatre in Stoke on Trent. The sheer joy that Panto brings to families and audiences is extraordinary.  For some it’s their first experience of being in a theatre, the lights, the atmosphere, the buzz of the people getting to their seats, the actors talking to you, singing along and dancing  in the aisles. It’s an absolute explosion of everything that makes going to the theatre an experience and that feeling will last forever. I hope we get to have our fix soon…I miss it.

Many Welsh or Wales based arts graduates are finding this current period especially difficult. Their usual opportunities to meet agents, prepare for final year exhibitions or productions may take place later in the year or sadly not at all. To raise awareness of the diverse talent graduating this year GTC is offering any Welsh or Wales based graduate the opportunity to be showcased on our website. If you are interested, please do get in touch.

Please note this interview contains Monologue Mix Up videos, some of which feature strong content.

Hi Meg great to meet you, can you give our readers some background information on yourself please?

I’m an actor and writer born and bred in Cardiff. An NYTofGB member, Sherman Youth Theatre alumni, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama 2020 graduate and founder of Monologue Mix Up.

So, what got you interested in the arts?

Growing up my parents always made sure we were engaged with the arts, whether that was going to the theatre, the circus, painting on the wall in our back garden, we were always exposed to the arts and influenced to be creative ourselves.

Can you tell us about your creative process?

Process is always a funny one, as is creating. It really depends. I usually write from an instinct, a thought, an image, I just begin and continue. I try not to censor myself or stop and look back until I’ve reached a natural conclusion. Then I’ll go through it, reading it to myself to see how it feels to speak and usually make some edits based off of the way it feels more natural to be spoken. When it comes to acting, it’s such a malleable process that depends on who and what I’m working on. Especially if it’s theatre and we are in rehearsals for weeks, my process will be influenced and guided by those around me – the other actors, the director etc.

As a young Welsh artists graduating during a very difficult period what investment and support do you think is required to enable your career to develop and prosper?

I’m hope that as the graduating year during this time, we will be have an opportunity to be heard. Whether this is through, as we are seeing now, people in the industry giving up their time to do 1-2-1s and making the effort to meet graduates, or through projects like Monologue Mix Up, where we make our own platforms and provide space for other artists in the same position. I think the more our community make an effort to engage with the work of new graduates, the more hope we have for our future careers, connections and creativity.

A range of arts organisation and individuals are now working online or finding new ways to reach out to audiences. Have you seen any particularly good examples of this way of working?

It’s so inspiring to see how much work is being put online. The free streaming of shows and those with pay what you can schemes make art so accessible to wider audiences who may not have had the opportunity to interact with this work before. I’m loving seeing all the new work being produced through avenues such as the Sherman Theatre’s TEN project – giving new writing the chance to be developed and distributed throughout this difficult time.

If you were able to fund an area of the arts in Wales what would this be and why?

More funding for the arts within schools. School is such an informative time during your life – you’re constantly learning and developing new skills and evolving as a human being. I think if the arts were given more of the time and energy they deserve in schools we could be teaching our children the benefits of listening – to ourselves and others – of empathy, dedication, communication and creativity. Keeping the creative child within all of us is is key to a happy life.

What excites you about the arts in Wales?

The community in Wales is just incredible. Everyone is so supportive of each other’s work and growth that it’s truly beautiful to see. The range of places art exists is also so exciting – from the pub theatre, to the outdoors, to the warehouses. There seems to be no bounds to where art can exist in Wales.

What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?

Seeing the support from other grads, creatives and human beings for the work produced and put out through my project Monologue Mix Up has been truly inspiring. It really reflects how much stronger we are when we come together to build each other up and support one another’s work and success.

Thanks for your time Meg

In response to the lockdown triggered by COVID-19, many arts organisations have taken their work online, sharing content for audiences to view for free. However, creating participatory engagement online is much more challenging and, as a sector used to being face to face with people in their practice, it’s clear that the current restrictions change the nature of participatory arts based activity substantially.

Following a vital conversation on social media led by Guy O’Donnell, Learning and Participation Producer, National Dance Company Wales which opened a discussion on how we can deliver participatory arts effectively, a range of partners are collaborating to lead Zoom discussions for the sector where we can talk about the impact of the lockdown on our work and work creatively together to think beyond the lockdown.

In partnership with ArtWorks Cymru a series of free Zoom meetings have been set up to discuss and share current working practices in participatory delivery.

Capturing the Learning

These Zoom meetings will explore how we capture the learning from organisations and artists who are currently delivering projects. We’ll explore what methods are working well, what are we learning through this experience, and how we are adapting our working practices.

Abdul Shayek is Artistic Director & CEO of Fio. Abdul will be speaking at the meeting organised by Youth Arts Network Cymru 5pm – 6pm Tuesday 9th June. The meetings are free to attend but numbers are limited. At the meeting Abdul will outline some of the challenges and solutions Fio has created to support the public to access their services in the current climate.

Abdul is a former Creative Associate for National Theatre Wales with a particular focus on engaging communities and has worked with a range of organisations including Contact Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, RSC, the National and The Almeida and various international organisations and projects connected to participation and engagement.

He is a visiting lecturer at the University of East London and has guest lectured at a host of other institutions.  Abdul is a Clore Cultural Leadership Fellow (2013-14)and sits on the steering group of the National Alliance for Arts in the Criminal Justice System, is a trustee of mid-wales dance company Impelo and on the board of No Fit State Circus.

Currently, Abdul is Artistic Director & CEO of Fio.  Fio makes fearless theatre: work that tears down stereotypes and challenges injustice. 

Abdul has directed all of Fio’s productions to date from ‘Swarm’, a site-specific show about migration to Katori Hall’s ‘The Mountaintop’ to critical acclaim, to most recently directing ‘Death and the Maiden’ by Ariel Dorfman, and a UK touring production of Athol Fugard’s ‘The Island’.

He is currently working as director and dramaturg in Fio’s stage adaptation of ‘Orchard of Lost Souls’ a novel about the female experience leading up to the Somali genocide which will tour across the UK and internationally. 

He is also developing a VR project with Bangladeshi women. Over the summer of 2019, Abdul worked on ‘Orpheus in the Underworld’ at English National Opera.  

At the meeting Abdul will discuss the projects below:

#FioPen2PaperChallenge

Has self-isolation got you going doolally? Is the company of your phone just not enough?  Are you finding it hard to escape the ever-growing challenges of COVID-19?

If you’re anything like us you’ve watched everything Netflix has to offer and the person leaving the fridge door open for the 50th time is starting to grate on you. Why not shake things up?

We’re challenging you to put Pen 2 Paper and write us a letter.

Join the #FioPen2PaperChallenge! 

Let’s revive and reinvigorate a faded art form.

We want you to feel free to write whatever you wish – get creative, be inspired.

What would you tell your future self? 

Do you want to reflect on what’s happening in the world? We’re living history!

Do you want to reflect on how you’re feeling and how you’re coping? Impart your wisdom to others.

Do you want to just forget this whole thing is happening? Just tell us a funny story.

This is YOUR letter you can write whatever you want, but we just say make it YOU.

If you need to, nominate a scribe, translator. We don’t mind. 

but

Keep it authentic- don’t worry about spelling mistakes,  you can write in any language you want. It just has to be signed, sealed and delivered….we love a pun, so please feel free to include others!

We encourage kids, grandparents, parents, those on the front line, those who’s stories might get left behind and even you, yes YOU on the other side of the world, to take part. 

Send your letter to the following address:

Fio
The Old Library,
Singleton Road,
Cardiff,
CF24 2ET

Don’t forget to provide a return address so we can write you back!

Once you’re done, share a picture of your writing set-up and tag us @wearefio #FioPen2PaperChallenge on instagram and then tag 2 of your friends to take on the challenge.

Leave your username so that we can tag you back. Happy writing!  

Ysgrifennu Hapus! Bonne écriture! ¡Escritura feliz!

for people to write in letters during the lockdown

Unheard Voices

“We’re making sure BAME Women are being heard.”

Hosted every Wednesdays at 3pm on Zoom, we are working in collaboration with Women Connect First to listen to the stories from BAME Women of all walks of life. Whilst set online, the setting is honest and raw as we record conversations and discuss topics such as the meaning of Home and how this translates from generation to generation, culture to culture.

One of our most inspiring projects yet, this female-only collective is resilient as they are supportive of one another.

A New Normal

Being innovative and responding to the environment is what we do well here at Fio. That’s why, we’re introducing you to A New Normal!

Using their film-making skills online and offline, our inspiring group of young people will be working together to create a web series to document past, present and future pandemics. All from the comfort of their own homes! Combining education and history with creativity and reinterpretation, we’re dreaming up A New Normal for each pandemic to realise the mass effect of change on a global society and how this draws comparison to COVID-19.

What have we learnt from past pandemics?
What do you think a future pandemic might look like in the future?
In 2020, what would you put in your Time Capsule?

Happening every Tuesday @ 4PM on Zoom.

Why not make the best out of a bad situation?

Want to get involved?
Get in touch with judy@wearefio.co.uk to sign up and we’ll take it from there!

Abdul will discuss the challenges and solutions Fio has found below

Challenges

Health and safety, morale, data poverty and access to equipment, translating the work via screen – how do we turn what inevitably needs congregation into creating a similar on screen?

Solutions

Think about what the purpose of the project is and how do you make sure you find a way to enable that online? This has to be the central question.