A Midsummer Nights Dream: Theatre Review

Linking a classic Shakespeare play to the Traveller culture which most people know about from the hit TV show 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding' sounds like a bizarre and almost ridiculous idea. But it works. For the 2012 season at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre they are doing two shows in repetition, Ragtime and A Midsummer Night's Dream and I had the pleasure of attending a preview for A Midsummer Night's Dream. This theatre seems like the perfect place to put on this play, and of course it is. You're outside in one of London's most beautiful parks, add a few coloured lights to it and it would be the most enchanting setting for this play. Not in this production, obviously they have the beauty aspects that they use to full advantage (how could you not?!) but add in two caravans, a crane and a load of gypsies then you've got this adaptation of one of William Shakespeare's most famous plays. The Open Air Theatre is currently in their 80^thSeason and continues to amaze audiences with their productions. Their most recent and most famous ones include the Olivier Award Winning productions Crazy For You, Into The Woods and Hello, Dolly! Their decision to do yet another production of A Midsummer Night's Dream may not come as a surprise but when you see what they've done with the piece, you'll never forget it.

Crazy for You the Musical: Theatre Review

Crazy for you is the Smash hit Gershwin Classic which has recently been revived in the West End after being a part of the 2011 Summer Season at Regents Park the production had transferred to the Novello Theatre where it's been running from the 7^thOctober and booking until July 28^th2012.
The production oases the classic Broadway quality that we all secretly love in a musical! It's one of those timeless musicals that will have you humming when you leave the theatre.

The musical is brought to life by using a Mamma Mia style set that twists and turns to transform each and every location, from Broadway to Nevada the set fits perfectly. The story line had all the qualities of the classic Broadway shows we love but I do feel it was a tad loose and could do with tightening up in some places. The characters seemed very unfinished and undeveloped, not due to the actors but due to the way the story was written. I can't really imagine why this musical was part of the Regents Park summer season because it doesn't really scream to me as a production that would work in a space like that, but in the Novello Theatre it works brilliantly.