Magic, mischief and love are coming to Geelong Botanic Gardens as the environment transforms into A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Ozact Theatre Company will bring the popular Shakespeare play to life on January 18 and 19 as four young people battle a romantic tangle.
Director Matt Young said the play would be a fun show for the whole family, utilising the “spectacular” outdoor location.
“We’re very lucky in this country, Victoria especially, we’ve got all these different environments and very spectacular spots,” he said.
“We’ve been coming to Geelong Botanic Gardens for over 15 years. We’ve got a great spot there, and it really brings the text alive.
“It’s celebrating those spots, bringing people out of their homes into these magical places, and bringing it all to life with the stories we tell.
“It’s also about finding little nuances in a particular spot and, at Geelong we use the old tram shelter, so it’s bringing that kind of historical aspect as well into the production.”
Young said the ensemble enjoyed exploring the characters’ relationships and finding ways to make them relatable to an everyday audience.
“It’s about how we integrate the story into the environment itself, and it really brings the best out of the play and the environment as well,” he said.
“The play itself is mostly set in a magical forest with fairies and God-like beings, and by using our surroundings, it brings the audience into the world of the play.
“It’s fun for the whole family, but there’s a lot of depth in the play as well that people often miss. There are really complex relationships going on between a lot of the characters.”
Visit trybooking.com/events/landing/1301409 for tickets.
