This year, Sixth students placed their audience in ancient Athens to enjoy a fantastical production of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ Under the twinkling moonlight of the flipped Centenary stage, audiences watched mischievous fairies feud over potions and spells, felt the chaos of lovers entangled in magical tricks and laughed at Bottom and the bumbling Mechanicals. With the stage softly rotating and the audience placed around our actors in intimate rings, Sixth put on a shimmering performance of a sensational classic.
Our cast of magical misfits began with Tom C, bringing power to the roles of Theseus and fairy king Oberon. Orissa H’s regal and expressive performance of Titania was perfectly complemented by Harry V’s Nick Bottom- a comedic role brought to life with spirited animation. Our lovers, played by Barney K, James C, Elvira H and Mary S, brought conviction to their lovestruck chaos. Their turmoil was heightened by Jemima S’s mischievous Puck.
The Fairies, a glittering ensemble who flickered around Puck and Titania, were played by the graceful Hannah-Maria B, Leah E, Roisin E, and playful Hazel S, Beatrice P-W, Imogen G and Luisa M. Meanwhile, the Mechanicals, Lois L, Emma W, Hugo W (multi-roling as the stern Egeus), EB T and Rose R delighted with their earnest clumsiness, each bringing a distinct comic note to the troupe. Genevieve G’s Philostrate brought comedic order to the otherwise colourful clash of the Mechanicals’ performances.
Director of Drama, Mr Curtis, expressed great pride in our Sixth actors and celebrated their impressive interpretation of Shakespeare. He shared:
‘From the outset, our aim was simple: to tell this story with clarity, boldness, and joy. Shakespeare gives us a collision of worlds- the rigid order of Athens, the unruly magic of the forest and the earnest chaos of the Mechanicals. Our production leans into that glorious mix.’
The experience was not only a joy for our audience, but for our actors as well. For Orissa H, this was her final School production. She said, ‘I couldn’t have picked a more imaginative and slightly chaotic show to be part of!’
She continued, ‘I loved playing Titania, a character who had been my favourite since GCSE. She’s a headstrong, elegant queen of the fairies, defined by her independence and refusal to be controlled by her husband Oberon. Our cast worked brilliantly together, always supporting one another, and the atmosphere in rehearsals is credit to the fantastic Mr Curtis. The show reminds us why performance matters so much and why I fell in love with drama in the first place.’
Sixth’s transformational production will not end with its run in the Centenary Theatre. Now, our actors will prepare to take their show to Edinburgh Fringe during the summer of 2026. This is not only a reflection of the incredible talent of our young actors, but their adventurous spirit in embracing new opportunities and grow as dramatists. We wish them all the best as they continue to bewitch and delight audiences in Edinburgh.