About

Come along for a bowl of soup and a show at lunchtime!

This month, in honour of William Shakespeare's birthday, local actor Edward Derbyshire presents a modern reinterpretation of a beloved Midsummer Night's Dream character via comedy and song.

Nicholas Bottom has always dreamt of being a performer. At Nick's insistence, when just eleven years old, his father grudgingly bought Nicholas an old keyboard, and he taught himself the fundamentals before attending lessons with a purple-haired grandmother down the lane (you know, the one with the Afghan hound called Baboushka). Always in the background and spurned by his peers, who considered him rather ridiculous and certainly no scholar, Nick put his desire to take to the stage on hold for many years…until now.

But, just as a peascod will expand and finally burst when exposed to the sun, so has Bottom at last come forth into the light of day (and moonlight) to share his story with you. With more than generous help from a very famous playwright, Nicholas also explores the nature and environment that surround us all, using several of said playwright's most beloved characters and moments to highlight what we town-dwellers see, yet do not see, in a passionate invocation of the need to save our planet.

Performances are suitable for ages 11 and over. Ticket includes a bowl of soup or equivalent light lunch, and the event is designed to fit into an hour-long lunch break.