Mansfield Palace Theatre

Theatre company Oddsocks Productions is excited to be revisiting A Midsummer Night’s Dream this summer as it tours its latest production to venues the length of the UK from Cumbria to Dorset and on to the Channel Islands, including a stop at Titchfield Park in Mansfield on Sunday 13 July.

The award-winning professional touring company is renowned for creating entertaining and accessible interpretations of Shakespeare and other classic works focussing on comedy, audience interaction and stand out action moments.

“We are known for presenting Shakespeare’s plays in unique ways which our regular audiences look forward to, and we always look forward to introducing newcomers to our work too.” says Creative Producer Elli Mackenzie.

“There is often a perception that Shakespeare is hard to understand and therefore boring, but people come along to see an Oddsocks performance and walk away having shouted at the baddies, cheered for the goodies and having laughed out loud. Our audiences come back year after year to see what we manage to do with each production as they know they are in for a treat”.

Oddsocks has performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream many times over the last thirty-six years of touring and each time they have found a new, innovative and relevant way to portray it. It is arguably Shakespeare’s most well-known play and there is good reason for that…

“It is a hugely funny play to start with.” says Artistic Director Andy Barrow.

“We don’t meddle with the original text because it has a rhythm and language which is as funny to audiences today as it was when it was first performed four hundred and thirty years ago. What we will be bringing to the production is a familiar contemporary setting which theatrically transforms into the magical woods, the playgrounds of the fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania”.

Another unique feature of the company’s work which sets it apart from other companies touring the country this year is the on-stage appearances of its directors and founder members Andy Barrow and Elli Mackenzie. The husband-and-wife team met at drama school in the nineteen eighties and formed Oddsocks using an investment of £90 in a brochure promoting their productions to councils and arts festivals across London and the southeast.

Thirty-six years on the company is still going strong and has garnered a large and loyal fanbase from across the length and breadth of the country. Andy will be playing the bombastic and overconfident amateur actor Bottom whilst Elli joins him as Titania, Queen of the Fairies.

Joining Andy and Elli are Oddsocks alumni Matthew Christmas, who has been with the company each summer since 2023 and Rebecca Little who last worked on a full scale Oddsocks tour in 2018. New to the company this summer is Ian Archdeacon who is playing Oberon.

Grab your tickets via Mansfield Palace Theatre who are presenting the production, by clicking HERE (opens in new window) or calling Box Office on 01623 463133.