“Merry and tragical? Tedious and brief?
That is hot ice and wondrous strange snow.
How shall we find the concord of this discord?”

WORKSHOP 1 – 10th February

First readthrough and discussions.

Topics explored included:

 
The Fairies
Town vs Country
Rhyme
Lost the plot. What’s the Plot? Who changes?
Helena
Is Puck or Helena the protagonist?
Light vs Dark
Sex
How should/could/would you stage it?
WTF corner

WORKSHOP 2 – 24th February

Masterclass: Performance History – Tobias Deacon

Tracing the history of the play over the last 400 years. From the Restoration “Droll” through the Victorian spectacle to Peter Brooke’s white box this play retains its popularity. Why? And has fashion blinded us from seeing the play afresh?

“If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended—
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream…”