Special Plug-In: Knight’s Dream
A fusion of Shakespeare and musical theatre is due to steal the stage at Studio Three (Hope Street, Arts Bar). The cabaret style show is based on Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and is an immersive experience that spins the classic on its head.
The story goes that Oscar Pendragon, well known entrepreneur with a foot in the bar industry revels in his recent success of his bar ‘Knight’s Dream’. However, not everyone is on board and some go green in his success. Those closest to him, such as Fiance, Tulisa who becomes involved in a love triangle with the underpaid and overworked bartender. The songs performed are those of much popularity (Chicago and Heathers) and all can be washed down with a speciality drink from the bar.
I got the extra details from Connie Evans to get inside the mind of the creator.
‘What is your theatrical background and is musical theatre a pathway you’ve always wanted to venture?’
Musical theatre has always been a huge love of mine. When I was nine, my parents took me to an early showing of ‘Matilda the Musical’ and my mind was, frankly, blown. I loved theatre already, but the idea of singing and dancing in an acting piece hadn’t fully occurred to me (despite my family's yearly watch of ‘Sound of Music’ every boxing day). I've been in theatre groups since I was around six and was in every school production I could get my hands on. I was on the Acting Foundation course at LIPA last year and now I’m sitting happily in my Theatre Management course. I started writing my first musical when I was fifteen. I’ve always loved writing stories and songs but they often lay unfinished on my bedroom floor until I decided to start creating my first musical.
‘What made you want to create a musical/cabaret based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream?’
I’ve always loved a cheeky bit of Shakespeare. My Mother always took me to the Shakespeare Globe and the RSC to see different productions (Mainly Macbeth oddly). My top favourite Shakespeare plays have always been ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ I wrote my own modern day interpretation of ‘Much Ado’ over lockdown then staged it at a local theatre in my gap year, raising around three and a half grand. I started writing ‘Knight’s Dream’ during the rehearsals for that show, deciding to make it darker than my other musical, setting it in a dysfunctional bar. I had this idea for ages that Puck could be represented so well as a bartender with Oberon as their boss. I penned the opening song ‘Love Drug’ in one sitting and decided to go from there, using the new song to set the theme.
‘How have you married both musical and cabaret into one performance?’
We’re setting the stage out that it’s the entire room. We have five large tables that our actors are going to make their way around. The audience are customers at a brand new bar ‘Knight’s Dream’ watching the antics of the barkeep who is happy to kick down the fourth wall whenever she pleases. We’d love for our guests to dress up for the occasion so they can feel like a true guest of this fancy bar. Like a normal bar, there’s going to be moments where there are actions going on everywhere, giving the audience plenty of different perspectives and a unique experience lead by where they’re sitting.We’ve adapted the script to half of its original length, putting more emphasis around the songs than the script to make it more Cabaret than a full blown musical for now.
What is your favourite musical? Will we see any influences of your favourites within the piece?
My love of watching musicals borders on obsessive. I like a great range of musicals, from classics such as ‘Grease’ to new in London ‘Hadestown’ but currently I’m in awe of ‘Cabaret’ on the West End currently, I’ve seen it twice and I stand by it’s some of the best theatre I have seen. I’d go every night if I could.
Of course I’ve taken inspiration from ‘Cabaret’ in how we’ve set the play seating wise and how the actors are going to break the fourth wall, making the audience our guests at the bar.
Like the original source material, the show follows two story lines: The couple who run the bar and the young star-crossed lovers trapped in a chaotic love triangle. The main couple, Oscar and Tulisa, have songs inspired by ‘Chicago’ and ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ but the love triangle has a more modern sound, with influences from ‘Heathers’ and ‘Waitress.’
So yes, there’s a lot of influence! I’m fortunate enough to have seen a lot of theatre over the years, and when Lockdown began and that experience of live entertainment was taken from us all, I turned to writing my own to fill that gap.
Do you have any advice for those wanting to get writing themselves?
Find something you know you can finish. When I was in my early teens I was determined to write a YA novel but found I always got to 21,000 words then would give up to pursue a different idea. When I was fifteen I picked up my Dad's guitar and taught myself chords so I could write songs. I went to see ‘Waitress’ for the first time in London and walked away determined to write a musical because I found the whole show so inspiring. My musicals are between 16,000 to 21,000 words, perfect for my attention span and commitment to an idea. I found a formula that worked for me. You also have to enjoy it. I write for myself until I share it with others, which by the way is terrifying but the more you share the less you care about the negative feedback you might be nervous to get. Feedback is also important to make the show better. Usually I do a read through with my friends and get them to write three positives they liked and three 'What could be better.' I think that helps keep my ego and self-esteem balanced, while learning how to improve.
‘What is in the specialty shot? If you’d like to spill the mysterious recipe…’
We're having drinks inspired by the cabaret so expect something dark, twisty and sweet for your tastebuds - Just like the show!
So there you have it. The low-down on Knight’s Dream. It sounds utterly clever and relevant. I completely recommend getting tickets, who knows, we may have a budding writer in our midst.