New production of A Midsummer Night's Dream draws on Riddley Walker

The Bristol Old Vic is staging a version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream with elements inspired by Russell Hoban's classic 1980 novel Riddley Walker.

In an article in This Is Bristol, Miltos Yerolemou, who plays Bottom in the play, is quoted: "That novel explores how, when civilisation has stopped working, we might go back to old, almost pagan superstitions and rituals, and it gives you an idea of what life might be like in a place where everything has to be recycled, scavenged and re-used. That's the world we have recreated – where wooden effigies come to life and where the Rude Mechanicals' tools are being used in very different ways.

"The forest itself comes alive. The design of the production keeps surprising you: on the surface it's quite simple, but in fact it's constantly changing. We're creating a world full of magic and spells."

The production, which opens on 28th February, is a collaboration with South African puppet theatre company Handspring, calling to mind Trouble Puppet's recent award-winning adaptation of Riddley Walker.

Further information

This Is Bristol article

Bristol Old Vic - A Midsummer Night's Dream