Oddsocks

While I was on a blogging break I got to something I have wanted to do in years and that’s see a Shakespeare play in an outdoor theatre and I have to say it was one of the best experiences I have ever had.  I don’t often write reviews on this blog anymore but as I paid for the tickets and I think you should all go and see this theatre group I thought I’d write about them.

We saw the touring group Oddsocks perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream and I haven’t been entertained so much in a long time. The performance was at Blist Hill Victorian Town in Telford and in my eyes the setting couldn’t be better.

We got there a little late so had to rush to find a place to sit, we brought our own blankets, pillows and a picnic, in hindsight we should have brought some foldable chairs but there you go.  We got comfy and I noticed there were some wondering minstrels interacting with the audience, these where the cast members and they didn’t stop involving and interacting with audience until the very end.

They have a small cast of 5 and they are hard working with each of them playing at least two roles but they gave it each role all they had. It was so funny and so entertaining. The first act seemed to be over in a flash and bless them they came out and chatted with the audience in the interval before going on with the second act.

The costumes were outstanding and how they did such quick changes and remembered what character they were supposed to be I will never know, they are very good at their craft. I was enchanted the whole way through.  OH really enjoyed as well.

I loved the intimate surroundings, there were only a few hundred in the audience, they used a small cart/caravan as there stage, one of the funniest parts was when they were swapping the cart around it was so well down and integrated into the play. No microphones were used and the lights only went up when it got really dark.

I urge you all to go and see them, you won’t be disappointed.

The Oddsocks were formed in 1989 by husband and wife Andy Barrow and Elli Mackenzie, they tour twice a year. They are still some performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream available but don’t worry if you can’t make that, tickets are already for the winter tour of Hamlet, I can’t wait to see it, and we’ve found a performance near us!

NM X