“I wanted to put on an event that would bring the local community back together again,” Max Hutchinson of Scoot Theatre says as they tour their family-friendly, actor-musician production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM to cricket clubs around the UK.
Next up is Bicester and North Oxford Cricket Club in Bicester, where you can expect a fun take on Shakespeare, which promises to be a real family-friendly community event.
Expect costume changes, chaos and cricket-bat sword fights in the 60 minute outdoor adaption.
So how is Scoot’s Shakespeare different? “it’s big, bold and fast – and full of music! We don’t take ourselves too seriously! The cast are all actor-musicians, so they are never really ‘off-stage’, ” Max says.
I chose A Midsummer Night’s Dream because it’s a popular title – it’s one that everyone knows and it felt familiar – it felt like that familiarity was something we were all missing!
Because there’s only six actors, there’s lots of multi-rolling, which adds to the speed and excitement of it all. “We try to stay true to the text – we don’t want to patronise the young people in the audience but still make the language accessible and comprehensible.”
This is Scoot Theatre’s first project, launched by Max, who most recently starred in the West End production of The Woman in Black.
Working in association with Banbury Mill Arts Centre to present work in non-traditional spaces, Scoot aims to engage new and young audiences and give everyone a community-focused, family-friendly afternoon!
“Cricket clubs are such social places and of course missed out on events all summer because of Covid. I wanted to put on an event that would bring the local community back together again. So that was my starting point.”
Scoot Theatre’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs on Wednesday 20 July at Bicester and North Oxford Cricket Club – https://www.themillartscentre.co.uk/shows/midsummer-nights-dream/
