February 22, 2023

Comment on review of “Magic in the Air” Still relevant themes avoid malice, leaving audience charmed by mystery and mischief” – “Dunedin Summer Shakespeare excelled itself with three very different, very magical excerpts from Shakespeare, performed as noted in an idyllic outdoor setting. The evening I attended, the audience. seated on the grass, happily & enthusiastically participated in being stormy ocean waves (which to me is a very different movement from that of the disastrous flood waters up north). They next became snapping sharks in this ocean at the start of an inventive and humorous extract from The Tempest, directed by Lisa Warrington. Also worthy of note is the excellent singing voice of Simon Anderson in the same extract, which added to the charm & power of the performances.” and “Oops, accidentally cut off the remainder of my feedback: the opening scene from the Scottish play, directed by Jessica Latton, was dramatically enacted by male actors in bloodstained shirts wielding swords & 3 colourful witches swirling around. Kim Morgan’s excerpt from The Merry Wives of Windsor had Phil Grieve as Falstaff in full rutting mode (with magnificent antlers!) His two intended conquests were played by actresses who exhibited modern confidence in employing their Elizabethan stratagems. All in all, Dunedin Summer Shakespeare served up a very satisfying sampler of magical themes from the bard’s work.”