Breakaway’s First Shakespeare Production Since COVID!
We are thrilled to announce that our Summer Show will be one of Shakespeare’s most loved plays: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and, if all goes to plan, the performances will be outdoors.
We have secured the Directorial services of Sue Sachon, who is very experienced directing Shakespeare. Sue will also be running our Workshop “No Shakesfeare”.
Auditions will take place on March 16 & 18, 2026.
Time: 8.00pm to 10.00pm
Venue: Fleetville Community Centre, Royal Road, St Albans, AL1 4LQ
From Our Director Sue Sachon
“O, what fools these mortals be …”
Duke Theseus of Athens is in a sunny mood. He is to marry his lovely fiancée, Hippolyta, in four days, and he can hardly wait. But not all couples have similar good fortune. Hermia loves Lysander, but is told by her father that she has to marry Demetrius. Hermia’s friend, Helena, adores Demetrius – but he only wants Hermia. Oh, the tangled webs we weave.
The ancient laws of Athens proclaim that Hermia must obey her father or die. When the Duke tells her she has only a short time to choose her fate, Hermia and Lysander hatch a plan to escape into the forest. They tell Hermia’s best friend, Helena, their secret. But Helena is deeply in love with Demetrius, and will do anything to win his approval …
Demetrius sets off in pursuit of Hermia, with Helena trailing him. And it’s difficult to say what might have happened, had it not been for some mischievous folk of the magical forest kingdom, and a potent love-flower. A few drops squeezed into a sleeping eye, and its owner will love the first thing he or she sees – which is fine, as long as you get it right! Add a group of enthusiastic but painfully bad amateur actors, intent on using the forest as a rehearsal space, and you have the perfect recipe for midsummer mayhem.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays of all time: romantic, magical and hilarious. You can fall under its spell this coming July.
Cast List
The ages given are playing ages and are guidelines
THESEUS, Duke of Athens, (M) 30 – 50 normally doubled with Oberon
HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus (F) 20 – 40 doubled with Titania or one of magical folk
EGEUS, father of Hermia (M) 40 ‒ 65
OR / EGEIA , mother of Hermia (F) 40 ‒ 55
HERMIA, daughter of Egeus/Egeia, in love with Lysander (F) 20 – 30
LYSANDER, in love with Hermia (M) 20 – 35
DEMETRIUS, suitor to Hermia (M) 20 – 35
HELENA, in love with Demetrius (F) 20 – 30
PHILOSTRATE, one of Theseus’ Lords (18+) doubled with one of Magical Folk (small speaking part) (F/M)
Mechanicals: (comedy roles)
PETER QUINCE, a carpenter (F/M) 20+
NICK BOTTOM, a weaver (M) 20+
FRANCIS FLUTE, a bellows-mender (M) 18+
SNOUT, a Tinker (F/M) can be doubled with one of the magical folk 18+
SNUG, a joiner (F/M) 18+
STARVELING, a tailor (F/M) 18+
The Fairies
OBERON, King of Fairies doubled with Theseus (M)
TITANIA, Queen of Fairies can be doubled with Hippolyta (F)
ROBIN GOODFELLOW, a puck (M/F) 20+
Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mustardseed (Magical attendants) (F/M) 18+
TOTAL: 16 (if Philostrate and the fairies are doubled)
5M, 4F, 7 M/F
Setting
Our version of the play will be set in rural Victorian times. Think Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, gentlemen farmers and country girls, rather than Dickens’ London. This will fit our open-air setting well, and with the help of folk music, lanterns, fairy lights and candles, should create a warm, magical atmosphere for our audience.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Character Breakdown
Theseus is the man in charge: head of a noble family, and the local law. He is said to be a ‘bit of a ladies’ man’; commanding, charming, potentially ruthless although he tries to be fair within the confines of the law. He has had affairs with many women, including (apparently) Titania. Much travelled, at ease in his own skin.
Oberon is similarly commanding, but much more obviously short-tempered and alpha male. He is hot-blooded and jealous, and likes his own way. Despite his somewhat fiery relationship with his wife, Titania, they ultimately seem to care for each other.
Robin Goodfellow (a Puck). Robin is a mischief-making sprite, Oberon’s right-hand, who does more harm than good when it comes to sorting out the misguided lovers. S/he is a little edgy, very confident in his/her own abilities, has a wicked sense of humour (and some of Shakespeare’s most wonderful verse).
Hippolyta is Queen of a proud Amazon nation lately conquered by Theseus, who has brought Hippolyta home to wed her. It is a much smaller part than Titania, but an important one. Her silences may be interpreted as resentful, accepting or ambiguous, so there is some room to experiment with character.
Titania is strong, intelligent and passionate; assertive in her arguments with Oberon (although she does ultimately give in to his demands). She is commanding but has a softer, caring side.
Egeus/Egeia is an older, very much alpha male/female, who has no compunction in trying to bully his/her daughter into obeying the law of the land – which means marrying the man s/he chooses. S/he has a temper. S/he wants Hermia, his/her daughter, to marry Demetrius.
Hermia: ‘though she is but little, she is fierce’. She tries to argue her case against her father, despite his tyrannical disposition, so that she can marry Lysander, the man she loves. One of the four ‘lovers’, the rom-com element of the play.
Helena is Hermia’s childhood friend, taller but not as confident as Hermia. This is due to her unrequited love for Demetrius, who had loved her once, but now has switched his attentions to Hermia (much to Lysander’s disgust). She is so in love, she is happy to let Demetrius ‘walk all over her’ in order to win him back. She’s less feisty than Hermia, but willing to argue her corner all the same. The second of the four rom-com lovers, all superb fun to play.
Lysander: Hermia’s beloved. He is similar to the early, romantic Romeo we see in Romeo and Juliet. He is poetic and devoted in his determination to wed Hermia. However, a little magical love juice (courtesy of Puck) focuses his desire on Helena, instead. The third of the comedy lovers.
Demetrius: Though he once loved Helena, he now believes he is in love with Hermia, and is approved by her parent. He later switches his devotion back to Helena (courtesy of more love juice). Demetrius is less romantic, more practical; very determined; and at times bit bad-tempered when he can’t get what he wants. He is the fourth member of the rom-com team.
The Rude Mechanicals (simple craftsmen / bad actors in their spare time). In our production, they will become gardeners.
Peter Quince is the (somewhat harassed) director of this little band, who has to deal with a motley selection of loveable amateur actors, while bringing together a production to be played before the duke and his new wife on the evening of their wedding. A lovely, straight-man comedy role.
Nick Bottom is the ‘star’ of the troupe, supremely confident in his own (terrible) abilities; admired by his colleagues; difficult to handle at times but the most loveable character. He loves to stride the stage and declaim rich, poetic lines (and get them entirely wrong, with hilarious results). He loves nothing better than to throw himself into a dramatic part (and would play every part on the cast list, if he could).
Francis Flute is an inexperienced actor and not very confident. He is horrified to learn he has to play Thisbe, a female role, and is extremely self-conscious of his feminine attire, with hilarious results.
Snout is a simple soul who throws him/herself into his/her part as the wall, but his knowledge of stagecraft is sadly lacking. However, he doesn’t let him worry him, and is always delighted by his own performance.
Snug suffers from terrible stage-fright, and has to be virtually pushed on stage. He/She is ‘slow of study’ and worries about forgetting lines or upsetting the audience with her/his lion’s roar. A very soft-hearted character who, despite regular attacks of stage fright, has a go and tries her/his best. S/he’s downcast if it doesn’t go well.
Starveling is a fairly wooden actor who is probably happier banging in nails or making costumes (as he is a tailor), but has been roped into playing a part. He gets pretty fed-up with the nobles’ snide comments during the Mechanicals’ performance, and shows it. He’s quite direct and not given to soul-searching.
MAGICAL FOLK (male or female)
Apart from Peaseblossom, these are small non-speaking roles (except for the odd word). They’re only in a few scenes as part of Titania’s crew, and are normally doubled with other characters. Fun roles without the stress of lots of lines, and they get to be in a magical scene at the end of the play. They won’t be dressed as Victorian fairies, more as urchins.
A Note About Rehearsals
The cast breaks up neatly into 3 teams: the lovers, the magical folk and the Rude Mechanicals, though some of the lovers’ scenes will also need Theseus, Hippolyta and Egeus. So apart from the end scene, which needs everybody, Director Sue plans to split rehearsals into lovers on one night and mechanical/fairies the other, until we start bringing the play together (though there might be some crossover).
Production Dates
All dates are currently provisional, but should be confirmed by the time the Auditions take place.
Provisional Performance Dates are: 02-04 and 09-11 July 2026 starting at 7.30pm. Venue(s) and dates to be confirmed. However, performance dates will be before the schools break up and should be confirmed by the time the Auditions take place.
Tech/Dress Rehearsals (provisional): Monday/Tuesday 29 & 30 June 2026
Rehearsal nights: Mondays and Thursdays, 7.30 – 10pm. Rehearsals will initially take place at Fleetville Community Centre, moving outside nearer the performance dates, depending on the weather.
LEARNING LINES: Your Director will be asking you to learn lines as we go along, so there’s no mad rush at the end!
What to do if you want to Audition but cannot attend on 16 or 18 March
It is important that you contact us as soon as possible and we will put you in touch with the Director, Sue Sachon. Sue will send you audition pieces, depending upon for which character you wish to audition. You will then need to video yourself acting the part and then send the video to Sue by the date she specifies.
The email address to use is: contact@breakawaytheatre.com
Audition Pieces
Note: The auditions will be held in workshop-style, with a chance to practise in groups on each piece before auditions take place. On the day, you will be asked to write your name on an audition list, against the character(s) you would like to audition for. You will then be ‘cast’ in a group with others in the scene, and given some guidance on the scene and a chance to read through before auditions begin. (You are not expected to have learned the lines.) Each scene will then be performed.
Those auditioning for lead characters may be asked to workshop two scenes, but help and guidance will be available on the day! The idea of releasing the pieces beforehand is for those who want to familiarise themselves with the parts.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The audition pieces are on the LEFT HAND SIDE of the page only. The right hand pages are translations to help the actor.
Good luck!
The excerpts to be used are from the No Fear Shakespeare* version of the play, as follows:
| Act | Scene | Line numbers | Page Nos | Characters |
| 1 | 1 | 23-78 | 4-6 | Egeus, Theseus, Hermia |
| 1 | 1 | 128-207 | 10-16 | Lysander, Hermia, Helena |
| 1 | 2 | All | 22-30 | Rude Mechanicals (Quince, Bottom, Snug, Snout, Starveling, Flute) |
| 2 | 1 | 18-59 | 32-34 | Robin Goodfellow (Puck) & Fairy |
| 2 | 1 | 119-145 | 40 | Oberon and Titania (Fairy Monarchs) |
| 2 | 1 | 188-244 | 44-46 | Helena and Demetrius (Lovers) |
| 2 | 1 | 248-267 | 148-50 | Oberon (with Puck to read in) |
| Possible recall pieces | | | | |
| 5 | 1 | 351-418 | 176-180 | Oberon, Titania, Robin |
| 3 | 2 | 128-192 | 94-98 | Hermia, Helena, Lysander, Demetrius |
HIPPOLYTA (Theseus’s fiancée), PHILOSTRATE (a servant) and the fairies’ parts aren’t listed above as they are smaller and normally doubled with another. If you are interested in any of these smaller speaking parts, please indicate on the day.
*IMPORTANT: if you buy a No Fear script, check the ISBN No (as there are some pirate copies about): ISBN: 978-1-58663-8481.
