Shakespeare in the House

DREAMSTUFF Theatre, Cartoon Saloon and Devious Theatre all came together at the weekend for a festival of William Shakespeare's work in Rothe House.

Dreamstuff provided four abridged plays - Midsummers Night Dream, Romeo and Juliet on Saturday and Macbeth and Comedy of Errors on Sunday.

This excellent programme also included Shakespeare in Bits by Devious Theatre which incorporated Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Reduced Shakepeare and Black Adder. Cartoon Saloon also provided drawing workshops and Dreamstuff did acting classes.

The sun shone down on the appreciative crowd and many parents as well as tourists were treated to excellent performances by both young but extremely professional troupes.

It was incredible to see this difficult language spoken by children, some just eight years of age. Dreamstuff impressed as usual with Stephen O'Connor starring in all four plays and Nathaniel Macdonald making an excellent Macbeth.

Devious Theatre were really enjoyable as well with Stephen Colfer, John Doran and Niamh Mulroney deserving special mention for their hilarious triple act.

This festival made Shakespeare very accessible to young and old. The writing which is usually seen as very hard work entertained a very appreciative audience. What made this really interesting was the venue, as Rothe House was built at the same time as Shakespeare was writing and it gave the proceedings a very authentic feel.

One two-year-old child didn't want to go home and a teacher from America declared Midsummers Night Dream to be the "best performance she had ever seen".

A great show and much credit is due to all involved especially the cast of all the plays and the staff of Rothe House.

The house band gave us some great music as well as a ‘Happy Birthday' sing along to Mike Kelly, Artistic Director of Young Irish Film Makers.

This event which was sponsored by Kilkenny 400 should hopefully become an annual fixture every July.

Shakespeare in Bits

Comedy of Errors

Romeo and Juliet

Macbeth