A Midsummer Night�s Dream Attracts Big Audience
Dumisani Ncube | Monday February 8, 2016 15:02
The British High Commission, in partnership with Maru-a-Pula School and Maitisong, has launched ‘Shakespeare o a Tshela’, part of the Great Britain Campaign and British Council’s Shakespeare Lives project. The screening attracted both young and old audience. There was never a dull moment as the audience enjoyed the humour in the three-hour play. The screening was a live theatre play recorded at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. The play, which is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1597, depicted events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and Hippolyta. It included four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors (the mechanicals), who were controlled and manipulated by the fairies that inhabit the forest in which most of the play was set.
It was laughter throughout the screening. After the film, the audience shared their views with Showtime regarding the screening of this play and the entire ‘Shakespeare o a Tshela’ project. “I believe this is also a modern way of imparting Shakespeare’s literature in visuals unlike in books only like it was during our time,” stated Sally Tau, an elderly citizen who said that she has read a number of Shakespearean writings.
She said through visuals the young generation would be quick to understand and enjoy Shakespeare’s work. This was the second screening of Shakespeare’s plays. The first one was Macbeth. It is yet to be announced when the next play will be screened.
Alastair Hagger, the project director said there would be at least three more screenings to be played at Maitisong Theatre before April when Maitisong festival is hosted.
He said during the festival there would be a live stage performance adapted from one of Shakespeare’s plays.