RUDE MECHANICALS

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Rude Mechanicals is a musical comedy that tells part of the story of A Midsummers Night’s Dream, focusing on the six infamous Athenian artisans whose earnest aspiration, albeit thwarted by their abilities, is to be actors.

In abridging one of the best known and loved plays by the greatest writer in the English language, we have naturally sought always to show respect and great care. We have made cuts simply to bring our six principal characters into the foreground. We have added lines and reallocated others to allow the story to make sense and the plot to flow, and make our play accessible.

The characters remain as Shakespeare created them and we have used Puck’s alter ego, Robin Goodfellow, to provide a friendly guide for the audience.

We hope that you will allow jollity and happiness to prevail as you watch our play. It is a thing of threads and patches but it is written and presented with the most sincere respect and profound love for the work William Shakespeare.

As the Bard gets the long-suffering Peter Quince to say:

“If we offend, it is with our good will.

That you should think, we come not to offend

But with good will. To show our simple skill,

That is the true beginning of our end.”

Richard Lamming and John Bessant