In a bid to engage young people with the work of Shakespeare, a new digital platform, Mix the Play, has been created by the British Council and The Old Vic Theatre that allows school children to take on the role of director for a production of a pivotal scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Featuring 36 different versions of act three scene two of the play, in which Titania falls in love with the donkey–headed Bottom, using three actors and a multitude of different settings and environments, there are 108 possible versions of the scene.
Users can download their final mix of the pre-recorded film samples for sharing on social media or for classroom learning.
Baylis Director at The Old Vic and director of the scene, Joe Murphy, said, "A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a play full of magic, mischief and imagination, so it's the perfect piece to launch Mix the Play.
"As a director, the decisions I make about a production shape the entire world of the play—casting, costume, music—and I am excited that through this project we can share the creative process with audiences around the world.
"I hope everyone has a go, more than once, and uses the web site to explore how a director takes the words of Shakespeare and breathes life into the characters and this 400-year-old play.”