Theatre / Shakespeare
Actor Danny Kirrane on the genius of modernising Shakespeare
With just days to go until A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens at Bristol Old Vic, excitement is mounting about this bold reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic play.
It’s a co-production by Bristol Old Vic, Shakespeare’s Globe and Headlong, with Leeds Playhouse, that transposes the familiar summery setting to a more ominous, snow-covered woodland.
Danny Kirrane plays Bottom, who falls victim to Puck’s mischievous tricks and – in the Bard’s original text – finds himself sporting the head of a donkey.
Danny Kirrane as Bottom, in rehearsal for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare’s Globe
“Traditionally he’s played like a bit of an idiot”, reflects Kirrane, “beautifully funny but dim.”
He was drawn to accept the role after discussions with director, Holly Race Roughan, who was clear about her intentions to make the character more of a complex, nuanced and fully rounded human, teasing out the darker and more psychological elements of a play that is sometimes treated as purely comic.
“In our production, he’s vulnerable, funny, tragic, nuanced, angry, sarcastic, full of heart”, says Kirrane. “It’s a challenge mentally sometimes to take such big swings with such a well-known, beloved character but I really think it’s paid off.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe
“Both Holly and our brilliant co-director Naeem Hayat were great at making sure we trusted in our interpretation and I have to say it’s been a joy to make Bottom with this team.”
The interplay between comedy and tragedy is, for Kirrane, what makes the drama so thrilling, as well as being more resonant of real life.
He also points out that it’s testament to the directorial choices underpinning this production that audiences watching it around the country have been so shocked, excited, and ultimately moved by it.
In this production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bottom is an executive chef
“I think contemporary interpretations of Shakespeare’s plays can draw parallels with today’s world and allow the audience a greater access to the language and characters in these plays”, he considers.
“The plays are filled with love and longing, heart and violence, death and sex; all those themes are universal.
“By modernising Shakespeare, younger audiences and those that previously may have felt locked out of his plays can access them, and see for themselves how much of a genius he was.”
View this post on Instagram
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is at Bristol Old Vic on March 4-21 at 7.30pm, with additional 2.30pm matinee shows on Thursday and Saturday (no shows Sunday). Tickets are available at bristololdvic.org.uk.
All photos: Helen Murray
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
