The Dream

A busy day yesterday visiting my mother in Suffolk - she is doing well but it's now a question as to whether she has heart surgery or not. Bearing in mind she is 89 years old and very overweight, there are lots of doubts as to the wisdom of this - she is not keen.  My brother is local and has an appointment today to get all the details from the specialist which will help towards a decision.

I dashed back from Suffolk (well, as much as a dash as I could manage bearing in mind the heavy traffic) as I had tickets for a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream- the first of the two Shakespeare plays that form the 2016 Pendley Manor Shakespeare Festival.  I met up with a friend who had prepared a lavish picnic which we ate before the performance, saving our pudding and coffee for the interval. It was all wonderful and the play just hilarious in all the right places.

The production had some interesting adaptations with 'Petra' Quince rather than Peter (the lady with the big red bag) which worked very well, and the interpretation of the fairies was certainly not traditional.  I really love the fact that Shakespeare's plays can be adapted to all sorts of settings and times; they always work.  I have seen this play many times as it's a popular one, each performance has been unique and each one enjoyable.

See my Blip of two years ago when 'The Dream' was, at times, a nightmare for me but came good in the end!

I had left booking the seats a bit late and was only able to get uncovered ones - great ringside seats though.  It did rain a bit but, fortunately, my 'Mary Poppins' friend (she always has whatever you need in her bag) had a spare hat so we were both snug and dry.  A superb evening.

If you're anywhere withing shouting distance of Tring - do see if there are tickets left - it is really magical.  I already have my ticket for 'The Tempest' next Thursday!