Access a Priority for Bard’s Comedy Classic

A fresh retelling of Shakespeare’s classic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream for everyone aged seven and above has put access at the heart of the production.

In a major collaboration between the Unicorn, the UK's leading theatre for young people and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), creative captioning has been fully integrated into the design, story and magic for every performance of the play.

There will also be integrated BSL performances.

Representing a landmark partnership in children’s theatre between two industry leaders, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a feast of magic and mayhem, co-directed by Unicorn Artistic Director Rachel Bagshaw and Unicorn Associate Director Robin Belfield. 

With a commitment to placing children at the heart of the creative process, the show has been developed in consultation with the Unicorn’s Creative Associates, a group of 8-13-year-olds who have worked with the creative team to help shape the production through their unique perspectives.

The production explores themes of transformation, emotional development and the power of play, using the magical forest to interrogate what it means to believe in our capacity to change, in a world where we need change more than ever.

You can join young lovers Demetrius, Lysander, Helena and Hermia as they flee Athens for the moonlit woods and fall under the spell of mischievous fairy Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, until August 30.

To find out more visit https://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/

Photo credits: Top photo © Helen Murray / Bottom photo © Ellie Kurttz