ORIENTAL NIGHT’S DREAM - 1990
S Y N O P S I S
The Caracalla Dance Theatre’s version of the Bard’s play was called ‘Oriental Night’s Dream’.
It took its audiences on a fantastical journey into a kingdom populated by aristocrats, peasants, and fairies. Like Shakespeare’s play, the ballet had several subplots that involve a royal marriage, conflict between lovers, and ham actors - all manipulated by forest fairies. It would, as Puck suggests, just be a dream; and so it was: the productions proved to be joyful, enchanting, profound, and wildly imaginative.
Shakespeare’s text was not used. The story was instead told in the language of Oriental dance, song, costume, and music.
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