BARD IN THE BOTANICS FESTIVAL, GLASGOW – UNTIL 2 AUGUST 2025
REVIEWED BY RACHEL FARRIER
5*****
Bard in the Botanics is a Glasgow institution, a month long festival of theatre in Glasgow’s beautiful botanic gardens, with at least two Shakespeare plays each year. A tree-framed stage was the perfect setting for this year’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As the long light of a Scottish evening slowly faded, the fairy-light laden staged created an intimate and magical space for a glorious performance. Benjamin Keachie’s Puck welcomed us in with the perfect blend of mischief and wit as he snuck and leapt his way amongst the audience throughout (nabbing snacks from audience members along the way). His costume, and those of all the fairy characters, are beautifully reflective of the natural surroundings.
The quartet of thwarted and unrequited lovers bring a tonne of youthful energy to their characters and Star Penders debut as a lovelorn and then suitably outraged Helena was a stand-out performance; she brought a hilarious Scottish lassie vibe to the role.
Gordon Barr’s production sparkles with a nicely local take on Shakespeare’s classic and he shakes things up in a number of ways, including having Oberon fall in love/lust with Bottom, rather than Titania. James Boal as Oberon and Alan Steele at Bottom are a hilariously over the top pairing. Both actors are Bard in the Botanics regulars and Alan Steele, as usual, stole the show on a number of occasions with his ridiculous, pompous Bottom – I was not the only audience member weeping with laughter at his consideration and then sudden acceptance of Oberon’s enthusiastic advances.
I have often felt that the play-within-a-play of Pyramus and Thisbe towards the end can be slightly tedious, but it was anything but that in this version; Hana Nadira’s performance of Robin Starvelings’s ‘Wall’ will not be forgotten for some time, and I especially enjoyed Noëlle Paterson’s take on the unwilling Francis Flute, in particular their irritable representation of the moon.
Whilst Carys Hobbs’ set is compact and beautifully natural, the use of the surrounding gardens are used to wonderful effect, especially during the scenes that are in the fairy-realm. As night falls, it felt as if the audience had merged to become part of this sparkling, magical production. There are only a handful of performances left, but get yourself a ticket if you can for an absolute midsummer treat, and check out the company’s other plays in the coming weeks.