The multicultural festival I have just reported on occurred on the morning Saturday 22nd February, but in the afternoon we were enthralled by another wonderful event.
This time it was a theatrical event - a performance of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" a little over 415 years from its first delivery. But the setting was unusual. This time it took place in the open air in parkland alongside Lake Burley Griffin. The audience sat in a grass circle and there was no stage. The actors performed their roles weaving their way among an audience sitting on towels or sometimes on folding chairs like the ones we had. The actors had microphones attached and their utterances were broadcast through a series of loudspeakers encircling the mass of spectators.
For me, this was the second performance of Shakespeare's wonderful comedy that I had ever attended. Surprisingly however, the previous rendition occurred in similar fashion at an open air performance located alongside another famous body of water. This was the St Lawrence River in the heart of Montreal. I wonder why Shakespeare's play encourages this style of presentation! Does any reader have a view on this? The Montreal performance was preceded by a 10 minute Hamlet! But this opportunity turn the dream into an omelette was missed by the Canberra team. Apologies for the play on words.
These pictures reflect well the spirit of the occasion. Here we are strewn across the grass in front of Australia's national library.
Recognise these two dudes?
And alongside us is Lake Burley Griffin.
The excellent actors, some of whom are shown in the next few images, rushed around and through the scattered audience reciting their lines.
A great day was had by all, and the weather - which was so damaged by bush-fires a few weeks earlier, was beautiful on this occasion.
AS
This time it was a theatrical event - a performance of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" a little over 415 years from its first delivery. But the setting was unusual. This time it took place in the open air in parkland alongside Lake Burley Griffin. The audience sat in a grass circle and there was no stage. The actors performed their roles weaving their way among an audience sitting on towels or sometimes on folding chairs like the ones we had. The actors had microphones attached and their utterances were broadcast through a series of loudspeakers encircling the mass of spectators.
For me, this was the second performance of Shakespeare's wonderful comedy that I had ever attended. Surprisingly however, the previous rendition occurred in similar fashion at an open air performance located alongside another famous body of water. This was the St Lawrence River in the heart of Montreal. I wonder why Shakespeare's play encourages this style of presentation! Does any reader have a view on this? The Montreal performance was preceded by a 10 minute Hamlet! But this opportunity turn the dream into an omelette was missed by the Canberra team. Apologies for the play on words.
These pictures reflect well the spirit of the occasion. Here we are strewn across the grass in front of Australia's national library.
Recognise these two dudes?
And alongside us is Lake Burley Griffin.
The excellent actors, some of whom are shown in the next few images, rushed around and through the scattered audience reciting their lines.
A great day was had by all, and the weather - which was so damaged by bush-fires a few weeks earlier, was beautiful on this occasion.
AS
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