This year’s Summer Production was a very special one as the Drama department brought the indoors outside with a Promenade production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
With a nod to the authentic Shakespearean practice of open-air performances, the production roved from the Beardwood theatre through sites across school with the audience following, creating a dynamic interplay between traditional and unconventional staging. While the Forest scenes with the mischievous Fairies took place in the indoor theatre, complete with spectacular sets and full technical production, the Court scenes, featuring the Athenians and the hapless Mechanicals, were performed in the contemporary outdoor space of Colfe’s Quad, the production represented a subversion of reality that is such a prominent theme of the play itself.
The Summer Production featured pupils from Years 7-10 both performing and providing technical and backstage support. As well as seasoned Colfe’s actors including several pupils familiar to audiences from past productions, the cast included many Year 7 performers and technical crew taking part in their first Colfe’s production.
Director of Drama Natalie Maher said: “This was the first Promenade performance we have produced in over eight years and we were absolutely thrilled at how it went. Just as the audiences at the Globe Theatre would have stood in the pit, our live audience moved with our actors from the court of Athens to the forest in our promenade experience with the old meeting the new, creating a dynamic coming together of ancient open-air performance with hi-tech lighting and sound. It was an absolute joy to work with such an enthusiastic and hard- working group of talented students both on and off the stage, I am so proud of them all. Huge thanks must also go to Theatre Technician Codie Lockyer for building the set, providing all things technical and making real the vision of myself and my co-directors Danielle Sutherland and Ross Peters.”
Please see the gallery below for a selection of images:
