Characters from Gilbert and Sullivan and Shakespeare came together to launch the Theatre in the Garden festival. They met in the beautiful gardens of Wolvesey Palace, Winchester, where A Midsummer Night’s Dream, presented by the Chesil Theatre, and Winchester Musicals and Operatic Society’s (WMOS) The Pirates of Penzance will be performed in July.

​Sarah Hawkins, the director of the much-loved Shakespeare comedy, is working with an experienced cast of Chesil regulars and talented newcomers plus a delightful young band of fairy folk. They will create a magical forest, with squabbling lovers, feuding fairies, tricks and reconciliations and a spoof ‘am dram’ performance guaranteed to bring lots of laughter.

Sarah invites audiences to bring their picnics and prepare for an evening of mayhem, magic and merriment. The play will be performed July 13 – 17.

WMOS swing aboard on July 20 until 24 with The Pirates of Penzance, the first show performed by the Society 1913. The 2021 version will give the classic G&S tale a twist by being set at the seaside in 1957. Audiences will hear all the old favourites, but with nods to the 1950s with hints of Doris Day, Elvis and Cliff in the arrangements. Director Suzanne Hall promises a rollicking outdoor adventure with pirates, picnics, policemen and sand between your toes.

In line with Covid restrictions all rehearsals are taking place via Zoom or out of doors. Tickets for both productions are now available online for MSND, and at wmos.org.uk for 'Pirates'. Audience numbers will be limited to ensure the safety of everyone. 

After the lockdowns and cancellations and a year barren of most forms of live entertainment the Chesil Theatre, Winchester, has taken the exciting decision to go ahead with a summer production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Originally scheduled for 2020 it should comply with any remaining restrictions this July because it will take place in the beautiful gardens of the Bishop’s Palace. The performance dates are 13 – 17 July.

“This joyous, much loved Shakespeare play should be just the thing to tempt back, cast, crew and audience,” said Director, Sarah Hawkins. “A magical forest, squabbling lovers, fighting fairies, tricks and reconciliations, a spoof ‘am dram’ performance, tears and, I hope, lots of laughter.”

The Society recognizes that things will have to be planned very differently. All details can be found here, where forms to express an interest in any aspect of the production can be downloaded. The deadline for Audition submissions, is Monday April 12.

Almost all rehearsals will happen outdoors, starting by 6.30pm to make the most of the daylight, and with cast having to work at a distance from each other.
“These will be just some of the hurdles,” explained Sarah, “But we are all flexible and committed to the project. I’m sure we can leap them or at least find our way round them, so by July we can we can give our audiences the joy of something they have been starved of for too long - live theatre.”

​Karla Ptacek

Across live and recorded performance, Karla explores issues of power, representation and the ways in which people narrate their lives. Careful looks at how siblings assert conflicting versions of family history. Karla’s training began with Uta Hagen in New York and she received an MA in Directing from Goldsmiths, London.

​She is a founding member of Avatar Body Collision, who pioneered a form of digital performance, included in the Index on Cyber Feminism. The TakeTen judges said: “Serious content treated with dark humour. Realistic engaging female characters. Includes an interesting turn. Simple but effective concept.”