Cast Announced For The Duke's Theatre Company UK Tour Of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

The Duke's Theatre Company returns after their critically acclaimed adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. This original production for Summer 2022 features live music, beautiful design and theatrical magic. It promises to delight audiences with Shakespeare's most celebrated and comic fairy tale.

Oberon and Titania's marital mayhem unleashes chaos on four young lovers with disastrous - and hilarious - consequences. Deep in the forest, a troupe of aspiring actors prepare for the most important night of their lives - a command performance before the Duke and Duchess. As the King and Queen of the Fairy Kingdom become entwined with the human world, a night of madness, music and magic ensues... (don't forget the donkey!)

The full cast is: Joanna Bending (Hippolyta, Helena & Peter Quince), Daniel Crespin (Theseus & Oberon), Hayley Doherty (Titania & Hermia), Chris Donnelly (Bottom & Egeus), Finnbar Hayman (Lysander & Philostrate) and Ben Simon (Puck & Demetrius).

The show is directed and adapted by Chris Donnelly, the creative producer is Bobby Delaney, marketing by Daniel Satchell, media by Benny Hawthorne, production assistant Laura Matthews, set by Adam Bottomley (with Ben Simon), production manager is Piran Jeffcock. Wardrobe provided by Bristol Costume Services.

Chris Donnelly trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Theatre includes: Reasons to Stay Alive, (English Touring Theatre, adapted for stage by April De Angelis), Horst in Bent, Barry Hardwick in Darkness Darkness, Skullery in Road, Richard in The Country, Billy in Billy Liar, Kabe in One Flea Spare. Chris has had the pleasure of being an actor for twenty-five years, playing a wide array of roles in television, on stage and on radio. Chris has toured nationally and internationally and is very proud to have been part of Andrew Hilton's highly acclaimed, award- winning Shakespeare At the Tobacco Factory theatre company ensemble since its inception in 2000, with whom he has played many roles. These include Iago in Othello, Autolycus in The Winter's Tale, Launce in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Stephano in The Tempest, Pompey in Measure for Measure, Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew, Puck and Bottom in two productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Lollio in Middleton and Rowley's The Changeling and Pistol in Henry V. TV includes: No Offence, Fat Friends, Silent Witness, Wire In The Blood, The Musketeers, The Derren Brown show, Vital Signs, Casualty, Wycliffe and the character of Damion Spinks in Eastenders. He has also performed in upward of thirty radio plays for BBC Rradio 4.

Joanna Bending trained at RADA. Theatre includes: 1984 and The Odyssey (US Tour), Imaginationship (Finborough Theatre), Shadows Of The Evening (Bridewell Theatre), Waiting For God (National Tour), Outings (Lyric, Shaftesbury Avenue), The Sound of Murder (National Tour), Kingmaker (Arts Theatre and St James Theatre), Macbeth (U.S. Tour), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (National Theatre), Under The Mulberry Tree (Festival Theatre, Edinburgh), Mountain Language (Royal Court), Phallacy (Kings Head Theatre), Two Women For One Ghost (Regents Park), Hand Over Fist - Stage Best Solo Performance Nomination, Boris: World King, Kingmaker, Trolling, Sex Lives of Others (all for Pleasance, Edinburgh), Blithe Spirit, Intimate Exchanges (Frinton), The Master and Margarita (National Theatre Studio). Television includes: Casualty, Eastenders, Doctors, Holby City, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Angel of Death, Love Soup (all for the BBC); PMTV (Paramount Comedy); The Bill (Talkback Thames); Coronation Street (ITV). Film includes: To The Grave; Second Coming; Tick Tock Lullaby; The Holiday.

Daniel Crespin trained at LAMDA. Theatre includes: Hansel & Gretel (Insane Root), Celestial Ark (Arcola), Macbeth (Young Shakespeare Company), Romeo & Juliet (UK/European Tour), These words that'll linger like ghosts till the day i drop down dead (Riverside Studios), Emerge Sessions (Bush Theatre), Ulster American (Linbury Theatre), Void (Rondo Theatre/Edinburgh Festival), Scrooge the Musical (UK Tour). TV & Commercial includes: The Outlaws (BBC/Amazon Studios), Jutland (Channel 4), Coca-Cola, Mansion Bet.Daniel has also worked extensively as a voiceover actor, primarily in commercials, video games and audiobooks, and is a musician and writer.

Hayley Doherty trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Theatre includes: Much Ado About Nothing, Comedy of Errors and Macbeth (Guildford Shakespeare Company), Moonlight & Magnolias (Nottingham Playhouse), Living Quarters (Tobacco Factory), The Snow Queen and Tom's Midnight Garden (Theatre by the Lake), A Fortunate Man, Unforgettable and Macbeth (New Perspectives), A Fine Bright Day Today (New Vic), The Endings and XY (Theatre 503), Spunk (The Arcola) and Paradise Lost (Bristol Old Vic Co.) Later this year, Hayley will be performing in A Seventh Man in Cologne. TV/Film includes: Outlander, Peaky Blinders, Coronation Street, Death Comes to Pemberley, Silent Witness, Superspreader and Dirty God. Hayley has recorded numerous BBC radio dramas including Wuthering Heights and Dixon of Dock Green as well as readings for Radio 4's Poetry Please and Something Understood. Hayley is the vocalist in Hayley's Little Big Band, a jazz/blues trio. She has lived on a narrowboat, exploring the waterways for the last 10 years and also drives a community boat, taking passengers on trips along the canal. She's very excited to be joining The Dukes Theatre Company this season!

Finnbar Hayman trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Theatre whilst training: Josh in Ocra, (Bristol Old Vic Weston Studio) Karl/Steve in Clybourne Park (Bristol Old Vic Weston Studio), Alastair Ryle in Posh (Criterion Thetare), Tom Tulliver/ Bob Jakin / Wakem,The Mill on the Floss (BOVTS West Coutry Tour) Beowulf, Beowulf (BOVTS TIE Tour) Angel Gabriel, The Christmas Nativity (BOVTS Nativity Tour) Nil, Philistines (Bristol Old Vic) Eddie/Marco, A View from the Bridge (Bristol Old Vic), Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Twelfth Night (Bristol Old Vic), Jack. The Importance Of Being Earnest (Bristol Old Vic), Searchwell/Cheatall, The Innocent Mistress (Bristol Old Vic), M, Lungs (Bristol Old Vic).Short fims include - Simon, Handover (NFTS)

Ben Simon trained at Oxford School of Speech and Drama. Theatre includes: Sebastian/Musician/Music Captain (Tempest - Wildcard Theatre/ Pleasance Theatre), Jamie (Catch of the Day - Original Cast - UK & Ireland Tour - Red Fox Theatre), Mercutio and Caplulet (Romeo and Juliet - The Dukes Theatre Company), Squire Trelawny/Blind Pew (Treasure Island - Bolton Octagon), Paul (Electrolyte - Wildcard Theatre - Original Cast - UK Tour), Henry V (Rose Playhouse), Dunsinane (RSC/National Theatre of Scotland). As Musical director and composer - "Lilith, Confessions of a Demon Goddess" (Damsel Productions), Evelyn (Wildcard Theatre).Ben is also a musician and composer, and is a co-founder of Red Fox Theatre.

Tickets are available at https://www.thedukestheatrecompany.co.uk, or for some venues through their own websites.

JUNE
Thursday 23rd - Fairlight Hall
Friday 24th - Fairlight Hall
Saturday 25th - Fairlight Hall
Sunday 26th - Goodnestone Park Gardens
Monday 27th - Goodnestone Park Gardens
Wednesday 29th - Brighton Open Air Theatre
Thursday 30th - Brighton Open Air Theatre

JULY
Friday 1st - Brighton Open Air Theatre
Saturday 2nd - Brighton Open Air Theatre
Sunday 3rd - Kingston Maurward
Tuesday 5th - Sheffield Amphitheatre
Wednesday 6th - Nostell
Thursday 7th - Nostell
Friday 8th - Norfolk Farm Venue
Saturday 9th - Thorington Theatre
Sunday 10th - Thorington Theatre
Tuesday 12th - Tealby Village Hall
Wednesday 13th - Kirkstall Abbey
Thursday 14th - Spring Cottage
Friday 15th - Spring Cottage
Saturday 16th - Haigh Woodland Park, Walled Garden
Sunday 17th - Denbigh Castle
Wednesday 20th - Bristol Grammar School
Thursday 21st - Trebah Garden
Friday 22nd - Trebah Garden
Saturday 23rd - Heartlands Cornwall
Sunday 24th - Chepstow Castle
Wednesday 27th - Raglan Castle
Thursday 28th - Neath Castle
Friday 29th - Conwy Castle
Saturday 30th - Conwy Castle
Sunday 31st - Rhuddlan Castle

AUGUST
Tuesday 2nd - Valle Crucis Abbey
Wednesday 3rd - Bennett's Willow Barn
Thursday 4th - Spetchley Park Gardens
Friday 5th - Swindon Town Bowl
Saturday 6th - Swindon Town Bowl
Sunday 7th - Berkeley Castle
Monday 8th - Berkeley Castle
Wednesday 10th - Bowood House & Gardens
Thursday 11th - Bowood House & Gardens
Friday 12th - Kidwelly Castle
Saturday 13th - Brushford Barton
Sunday 14th - Arlington Court (NT)
Tuesday 16th - Garden Rosemoor
Wednesday 17th - Ebbingford Manor
Friday 19th - Penlee Park Open Air Theatre
Saturday 20th - Penlee Park Open Air Theatre
Sunday 21st - Newquay Orchard, Lawn Terrace
Wednesday 24th - Berrybank Park
Thursday 25th - Broughton Castle
Friday 26th - Broughton Castle
Saturday 27th - New Barn Farm
Sunday 28th - New Barn Farm

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