When? January 15-17 | Event? Theatre | Venue? Bahrain Alumni Club
 For our theatre-starved island, this one comes as a veritable feast for the senses. For the last few years, Shakespeare 4 Kidz (S4K) has brought its child-friendly musical Shakespeare adaptations to Bahrain; it is time to enjoy another production.
After presenting Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet,
it is the turn of a comedy this time round and the play in question is A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The performance has been described as “feisty, fun, fast and furious” by reviewers and based on what we have seen until now, it will also be highly professional and extremely entertaining.
Paula Mansour, managing director, Hava Java Productions, says, “My company has organised a number of concerts and events in Bahrain. A few years back, I saw S4K performing in Dubai. I was astounded by how educative the performance
was while being brilliant in the terms of entertainment value. They have been performing in Bahrain for four years now and the audience response has been amazing each time.”
 Even though the productions are targeted chiefly at kids, adults enjoy them as much. “While we organise special shows for schools, we have more and more families coming in.
Adults enjoy the productions as much as the kids. Every S4K show uses the whole Shakespearean plot but uses only the most famous original lines and slots them into modern language so that everyone, even the youngest primary schoolchildren, can understand.”
This time, the company will arrive with 20 artistes, which includes a small orchestra. They are also on the lookout for a boy from Bahrain who will play a small role.
Eleven major schools, including St Christopher’s, Bahrain Bayan School, Nadeen and Naseem International have already confirmed their attendance. Workshops will also be held by the S4K artistes for children.
 “Most of the schools have Shakespeare as part of their curriculums. Watching a proper play helps students grasp the relevance of the Bard’s works,” Paula notes. Not to forget that the songs, dances, beautiful quotes and spellbinding effects are sure to catch the fancy of the young audience. Organisers are also offering special rates to schools booking in advance.
The play
The play centres on the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, to the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta and the activities of the mischievous fairies of the Fairyland forest in which the play is set.
The play also touches on the stories of four Athenian lovers as well as a group of Athenian workmen who are working towards presenting a play to entertain the royal couple at their wedding celebrations.
The workshops
The workshops offer a unique empathetic system that aids learning through understanding and performing. Its aim is to present a unique approach to understand the text through pupils’ practical interaction with skilled professional actors.
Each workshop demystifies Shakespeare while making his work accessible. The effort is towards staying true to his style and content so that a foundation can be built for further enthusiastic study of his works.
Call 3 9616-858 or visit www.shakespeare4kidz.com |
