Old Subtlety - blog of Broughton Castle - stately home in Oxfordshire and film location

Last Friday the Oxford-based theatre company Cakes & Ale planned an outdoor production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the front lawn at Broughton to raise funds for the Helen and Douglas House hospice for children and young adults. The combination of an ominous forecast and even greyer skies led to the production being hastily shifted indoors into the Great Hall which just about fitted the 180 in the audience. Fabulous amateur dramatics meets fabulous indoor location. A wonderful production. It crossed my mind that next year (or one year) we should find a three act play with the Acts split between the front lawn, west lawn (see picture) or back lawn. Even better would be to have some contemporary dance out on the west lawn – or would it be impossible to get the correct level of “spring” on an outdoor stage? And might the dancers strain muscles in outdoor temperatures? Further research warranted.