Last night was a night of theatre firsts for me. First time at the Rose Theatre in Kingston (not quite a trip to New York but it did involve getting on a real life train to get there), first time seeing a professional production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and first time seeing Dame Judi Dench on the stage.
And owing to Peter Hall's* wonderful production it was also the first time I have seen Shakespeare performed entirely in the costume of the period in which he lived and with some local Brummie accents.
Dame Judi plays Titania, a role she played for Hall back in the 60s. Shakespeare wrote A Midsummer Night's Dream during the reign of Elizabeth I and Hall dressed his Titania in the look we associate with the famous Tudor Queen, red curly hair dotted with pearls and beautiful corseted dresses.
She doesn't say anything when she first takes to the stage but even the audience seemed to sit to attention in her presence. Had I been standing I don't think I could have stopped myself doing a courtsey.
But Midsummers Night's Dream is a great ensemble piece and just when I was thinking that Dame Judi was going to steal the show in comes the magnificent Oliver Chris playing Bottom.
I know of Chris from his work on favourite comedy series of mine, Green Wing, but while he may have proved his comic credentials on telly, he cemented them on stage.
His superbly hammed-up death scene was so good that for the first time at the theatre I laughed so hard it hurt. Even some of the other members of the cast were laughing out of character.
There were a lot of teenagers in the audience, presumably it is an English set text for this years GCSE's or A-Level but what a fantastic introduction to Shakespeare on the stage. I'm quite jealous as my first taste was a rather dry production of Henry IV part I.
Completely unforgettable and if it transfers to the West End, which I hope it does, I'm going again.
* I didn't realise until last night that Sir Peter Hall set up the Royal Shakespeare Company
Some other reviews
The Independent "Dame Judi is a tip-top Titania and Bottom's not bad either"
The Guardian "I've also never seen a Titania more vocally and spiritually enraptured by the transformed Bottom."
What's On Stage "A conventional revival, maybe, but far too good to be snooty about."