Contributing to Peace in Northern Ireland: Terra Nova’s Midsummer Night’s Dream

Abstract

This article examines the production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream put together by Terra Nova Productions in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 2019. Terra Nova Productions (directed by Andrea Montgomery) is a professional theatre company known for its intercultural work, already seen in its first engagement with Shakespeare, The Belfast Tempest (2016). This challenging intercultural production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was characterized by gender-switched characters, multi-racial casting, and the integration of amateur actors into a professional cast. Alongside these features, the production emphasized Northern Irish legacies. In response to Northern Ireland’s complex history, not least the so-called “Troubles,” peace was an underlying imperative in this Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was supported by the European Union’s PEACE Programme. This chapter aims to place emphasis on the importance of the socio-political context in this production at several levels, not just at the final outcome. The workshops and intercultural weekends organized for the amateur actors, the rehearsals with the professional cast, the performances themselves and the active engagement with the audience after the performances were all oriented to foster peace. The play becomes the perfect scenario to confront and challenge audiences and all the agents involved; A Midsummer Night’s Dream brings about a socio-political transformation, and, in the process, is itself transformed.