A Midsummer's Midnight

'Twas a balmy midsummer's evening with daylight savings still in full swing. We set out from home for what should have been a relatively peaceful forty minute tube ride to Canon Street near St Paul's. From here it should have been a short walk across the Millennium Bridge to then reach our destination. Naturally, Transport For London managed to turn this into a complete two hour palaver that included the train drivers announcing that even they had no idea of what was going on with their train, and when and where it would be headed...

We eventually made it to the south side of the Thames and just in time to get some dinner in a riverside brassiere. And when I say "just in time" it was exactly that, as the guy ordering after me was told that the kitchen was closed. The food was still superb, but we did not have long left to be where we needed to be for the night's entertainment. Thankfully, the Swan, where we ate (and drank), is located right next to the theatre - well, it's actually connected to it in a way.

With the time approaching midnight, we hurried next door to find a good location in the theatre to view the show. That's right, I did say 'midnight'. This was the time for a one off production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and thus a midnight showing was rather apt. So, armed with our red wines, Sheryl and I settled in amongst the rest of the "Groundlings" for something a bit unique.

Once again, the works of this playwright came through for a thoroughly entertaining evening. No doubt assisted by the calibre and passion of the actors involved. Admittedly, some of the ad-libbing with the audience didn't go astray either, and nor did some of the poetic licence taken with the end of the production. I was wondering whether the ending was correct, but not knowing this play at all, I kept my mouth shut until the very end to quietly ask.
It made little difference as the show was brilliantly done and kept us all entertained for well over two hours - not bad for only £5 a ticket! I know I didn't think too highly of Shakespeare when forced to study his works at high school, and no doubt neither did any of you reading this, but to see it performed properly, and with such good actors truly makes a difference. Sure, maybe the red wine helped, but so did the atmosphere of the venue. I'm trying hard not to say that we saw it "in its natural habitat" (being in the Globe Theatre itself), but while that may sound corny, it does give it a special touch. This is as close as you can get to seeing it in its original (and intended) form.
Written 400 years ago, it still entertains us today...

"Chapeau!" William.