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Exploring Shakespeare
Hamlet, Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream
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Home | A Midsummer Night's Dream: Languages and themes | From the actor's point of view

Languages and
themes

Director's cut
The text
Fairies and mortals
Chaos and harmony
Historical context
The play within the play

From the actor's point of view

Who's this? Malcolm Storry plays Bottom.

Context: The 'Robin Hood' play is part of the folk tradition of 'Mummers Plays', few of which survive. These popular plays were exuberant street entertainments with players sometimes in animal costumes. A central character would often be killed and revived. It is possible this implies the death of the Winter and the coming of Summer. Robin Hood's popularity was overtaken by that of St. George who became the most frequent central figure.

The play within the play

From the actor's point of view
In context
Pyramus and Thisbe
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