Shakedown: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the King’s Theatre Edinburgh Review
28 June 2017
Reviewed by Lynsey Roberts
A pilot year of Shakedown – a collaborative project that brought five Edinburgh schools together to perform one of William Shakespeare’s most popular comedies. Set in an enchanted forest this magical story with four intertwined plots is about the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta and follows the adventures of four quarrelling lovers, a company of actors and a group of fairies.
Although a very complex plot the cast were excellent in portraying the characters and telling the story with just the right amount of humour and passion the story requires. The performance was put together very cleverly with each school performing one act which included sharing roles – no mean feat but worked much better than you would expect. The stage setting was simple but effective and the costumes very imaginative and creative. And although all the schools were fantastic, for me it was Queensferry High that stood out on the night. There were certainly some aspiring young actors amongst the cast that I have no doubt will be the talent of tomorrow.
The King’s is a traditional small theatre with a welcoming warm atmosphere and ambiance. It is very comfortable and clean with extremely helpful, friendly staff. Our seats in the stalls provided an excellent view of the stage. The theatre is located in the heart of Edinburgh City Centre, so easily accessible by public transport with parking available around the theatre. There is also plenty of option for pre/post theatre drinks and food with the variety of restaurants and bars nearby.
I had a lovely evening at the King’s Theatre watching this group of young budding actors perform so convincingly and passionately. I would recommend the production to friends and family and give the night 3 stars out of 5.
Rating: 3/5
For other shows at the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh visit www.edtheatres.com or call the box office on 0131 529 6000.
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LQ | 0131 529 6000
