Year 8 Quantum Theatre Visit

On Thursday 7 July, Year 8 enjoyed a visit from Quantum Theatre Company to perform Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It was exciting to see a live production of a play they had studied earlier in the year. Here are some extracts from student reviews:

I thought A Midsummer Night’s Dream was funny, exciting and engaging. My favourite part was when Hermia got upset about the others being rude to her. She started swinging her handbag around and everyone was trying to dodge it. It surprised me when Lysander went to kiss Helena, but she moved out of the way and he ended up kissing Demetrius instead! Another big surprise was that they played modern music and kept breaking out into song. I thought it was a great performance by Quantum Theatre and I enjoyed watching it with my friends.

Jessica Archer

My favourite moment was when the actors in the play performed Pyramus and Thisbe at the end. This part stood out for me because the acting was exaggerated and expressive, especially in their death scene. Some of the costumes were creative and fun to watch, such as Bottom’s donkey head, which was made of cardboard and covered with glitter. I was surprised how the play included modern props such as a pair of headphones or a mobile phone, but the actors still spoke with Shakespearean words. I think the funniest moment was when Titania and Bottom were in love, because it was unusual and unexpected.

Charlotte Martin

I found it interesting to see how five actors played all fifteen characters and how they made it more modern. I enjoyed how Hermia tried to hit Helena with her handbag and how the betrayal was portrayed in such a dramatic way. The chemistry between the actors was very good and the cast added humour with music and movement. I enjoyed laughing at the play with my friends and felt that the actors really involved us in the story. The best costume was the Fairy King as he looked quite terrifying but I think he is actually a softie deep inside.

Mimi Whetstone