You can enjoy a double-bill of Shakespeare when two of his popular comedies will be performed in the grounds of the Oxfordshire Museum.
Staged by 440 Theatre, Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream will performed by four actors in around 40 minutes each – resulting in a hilariously speedy tour of two of Shakespeare’s finest pieces.
Twelfth Night is a fast-paced comedy of romantic plots, mistaken identities and practical jokes. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola, disguised as a man named Cesario, begins working for Duke Orsino and falls in love with him, but he is in love with Olivia. When Cesario arrives to woo Olivia on behalf of her boss, Olivia falls in love with him!
While A Midsummer Night’s Dream consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. Set in Athens, one subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers; and another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are set to perform before the wedding. When both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by manipulative fairies chaos descends.
Tickets are on sale now for the double-bill, which takes place for one-night only on Friday, July 19, at the museum in Park Street, Woodstock.
Jemma Davey, Museum Service Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We’re happy to be opening up the beautiful gardens at the museum for a performance by 440 Theatre for the first time. It’s sure to be a magical evening watching a unique performance of two legendary pieces of theatre.”
Doors open at 6.30pm, with the show starting at 7pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own low-backed chairs and blankets. Picnics are welcome and refreshments will be available.
