Ask And You Shall Receive

Newcastle Herald

Friday April 23, 1999

with Ben Doherty

THE Bard might have popped his clogs years ago but those attending a spooky Shakespeare et al review at Raymond Terrace this week could have been forgiven for suspecting the scribe's ghost was in the audience.

On Wednesday Merewether's Elaine Street attended the Raymond Terrace Botanical Gardens show along with students from Glendale Technology High School and Macquarie College.

Everything was going smoothly enough as the afternoon audience enjoyed the play A Midsummer Night's Dream but the fun really started during Act III, Scene I.

In the scene, Titania (Anne Frost) bids her fairies to be kind to Bottom the Weaver (Garth Russell) who's just been turned into an ass.

Upon hearing the request, the fairies reply: `Hail mortal! Hail! Hail! Hail!'

And wouldn't you know it? Right on cue, the heavens above the Botanical Gardens cracked opened and down came the hail!

Not missing a beat, the players adjusted the script immediately and suggested through verse, the audience seek shelter.

But the weirdness didn't stop there.

At one point during the show a possum awoke in a tree causing branches to fall almost clocking a couple of audience members and before the hail fell, strong winds showered everyone in gum blossoms which is just so A Midsummer Night's Dream it makes your head spin.

And to wrap up this whole amazing tale, today, April 23, is both Shakespeare's birth and death date!

The `Shakespeare et al' season being held at Murray Robson Wines at Old North Rd, Rothbury, is to be extended until this Sunday. Call 4938-3577 for bookings.