A Shakespearean rock musical is set to be staged in a village hall.
The Palgrave Players will perform Dream Nights!—a rock adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream—at Garboldisham Village Hall.
The script remains loyal to the original with a few modern twists: four lovers become entangled in the woods, the Dream People (Oberon and Titania) quarrel, and the Mechanicals, a group of amateur actors, rehearse a play for the prince's wedding.
But unlike the classic tale, many will know, the story is told through rock music.
Dream Nights!, created by Derek Killeen and Michael Cross, first premiered at the Key Theatre in Peterborough in 1993.
Mike Benyon, who is the musical director for this production, first spotted it in 1997, drawn by his love for rock music.
He was so inspired by the performance that he went on to secure the rights from the creators and directed it twice with his North London theatre group.
Now, after more than two decades, Mr Benyon has rearranged the music for the Palgrave Players' performance.
The musical features 18 songs, including familiar tunes like All I Have to Do Is Dream, Respect, Shout, and Ain't No Mountain High Enough.
The cast includes Steve Whitaker as Oberon/Theseus, Nicola Diggins as Titania/Hippolyta, and Karen Stephenson as Puck.
The lovers are played by Holly Brice (Hermia), Harrison Klass (Lysander), George Harrison (Demetrius), and Paris Maben-Hume (Helena).
The Mechanicals are played by Seb St.John-Clarke (Bottom), Lisa Solden (Quince), Doug Porter (Flute), Christina Odams (Starveling), Jackie McDonald (Snout), and Kathy Mills (Snug).
The Garboldisham Village Hall will host four performances of Dream Nights! from Thursday, October 29, to Saturday, October 31, with evening shows at 7.30pm and a matinee on Saturday at 2pm.
Tickets are available online at TicketSource.
The Palgrave Players, an amateur dramatic society, have been entertaining audiences in Palgrave, Diss, Thetford, and nearby villages since 2023.
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