Photo Flash: Dench Stars in The Rose's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Peter Hall's production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, starring Judi Dench and Charles Edwards opened last night, February 9, at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. BroadwayWorld brings you the first production photos.

Dench plays the role of Titania with Edwards taking the role of Oberon. The rest of the cast includes William Chubb, Oliver Chris, Msimisi Dlamini, Richard Keightley, James Laurenson, Ben Mansfield, Reece Ritchie, Susan Salmon, Annabel Scholey, Simon Scott, Sophie Scott, Timothy Speyer, Rachael Stirling, Julian Wadham, Leon Williams, and Tam Williams. The show will run through March 20th, 2010.

Set in Elizabethan England, Peter Hall's new production sees Titania, the Fairy Queen, as a portrait of the ageing Queen Elizabeth I, fascinated with the theatre, besieged by courtiers but ‘married to the people of England'. A Midsummer Night's Dream reunites Peter Hall and Judi Dench, an enduring theatrical partnership lasting some fifty years. Judi Dench first played Titania for Peter Hall with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1962 and they have subsequently worked together on productions such as Antony and Cleopatra (National Theatre), The Royal Family (Haymarket) and Hay Fever (West End).

Judi Dench is a long standing supporter of the Rose and hosted a fundraising gala for the theatre in 2004. Priority booking is now open to Friends of the Rose for an extended three week booking period.

The design team includes Elizabeth Bury as set designer, Peter Mumford on lights, and sound designer Gregory Glarke.

Performances for the show will take place Monday through Wednesday with weekday matinees. Tickets for A MIDSUMMER NGHT's DREAM range in price from £12 to £37.50 with pit cushions available for £8. Tickets may be purchased online at www.rosetheatrekingston.org or by calling the Rose Theatre's box office at 0871 230 1552.

Photo Credit: Nobby Clark