Year 6 have been retelling Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream through the eyes of different characters.  Here is a selection of their writing.

MIDSUMMER MADNESS

I am Carl the courageous news reporter. My colleague and I went to research the phantasmal weather in Greece (he thought it was a holiday). Very soon, it was going to be Theseus’ and Hippolyta’s wedding day. Theseus is the duke of Athens: he is very powerful. It got closer to the wedding day but still the rain kept pouring. We went to interview Theseus in his court, a man called Aegeus and his daughter Hermia. They also had two young men with them.

Aegeus was not looking happy, so we asked what was wrong. Hermia, his daughter wanted to marry Lysander but Aegeus wanted her to marry Demetrius. In Athens, the law says a father can decide which man his daughter should marry. If she refuses the only options are death or to become a nun.

We saw Hermia and Lysander run into the woods we waited until they went. We were about to follow them when Demetrius (sword out) stormed out stormed into the woods. Helena was hot on his heels protesting her love. It was obvious to us that Demetrius did not feel the same. We looked back over the city onto the wrinkled faces of the mountains. Then we ran into the dark shroud of the woods.

As we drew near to the centre of the woods, we heard talking. I crept up behind a bush. We caught on camera a fairy; yes, that’s right, a fairy! It was impoverished and green and it was squeezing juices from some kind of flower onto Lysander’s eyes. Lysander and Hermia were sleeping on the ground. I heard a loud “ee aw” coming from a clearing: we went to check it out. In the middle of the clearing there was another fairy lying with a donkey headed man! My colleague pointed out a fairy wearing a crown standing with a little boy and laughing at the two sleeping.

We heard a deafening crash from where the green fairy was. My colleague wanted to stay with the donkey. I insisted we went; so we did. In the time we were with the other fairies, Demetrius and Helena were lying with them. We were just about to go and see them when suddenly we heard the ‘clump clump’ of horses’ hooves. It was Theseus and Aegeus. Lysander jumped to his feet. It turned out Lysander loved Hermia and she loved him. Now Demetrius loved Helena and she loved him. They all went back to court.

It was Theseus’ and Hippolyta’s wedding day. I was very surprised that Theseus would share his wedding with some civilians. Some actors were performing a play Pyramus and Thisbe the actor who played Pyramus

looked a lot like the donkey we saw in the woods. I thought it was rather strange that they looked the same.

by Harry

Hermia’s holiday

I am Hermia a simple girl who lives here in Athens. All I wanted to do was to marry my love- so how is it that my father wouldn’t let me?

It all started with a fight. My hard-hearted father Egeus wouldn’t let me marry my true love Lysander but was forcing me to marry Demetrius! I felt like he didn’t care about me.

As this quarrel continued, the rain pelted down rotting the crops dousing the foliage and saturating the earth. It made the people of Athens worry what Duke Theseus would say.

Although I doted on gorgeous Lysander the rule in Athens said a father could chose who his daughter should marry “Helena loves Demetrius!” I shouted, “Let me marry my love Lysander”!

Although, Lysander had a plan. He said we could run away together into the woods. Before we left I told my lifelong friend Helena where we were going so she would not miss us.

As I trudged slowly through the forest, I soon became aware that we were both exhausted, so we settled down to sleep. Woken by a frightful nightmare I saw that Lysander had gone.

Whilst I tore through the undergrowth, I soon became aware of shouts coming from ahead. Soon I came to a clearing and right before my eyes I saw Lysander, Demetrius and Helena. Helena somehow seemed to have bewitched Demetrius and Lysander to love her. I was very shocked at Lysander!

I ran into the clearing. I was very angry, and I chased Helena away. A strange fog soon surrounded me, and I settled down to sleep.

I was woken by the sound of a hunting party and I looked up to see Hippolyta, Theseus and Philostrate saying much to my delight that I could marry Lysander and that Helena could marry Demetrius. We were happily married, and I have been living with Lysander ever since.

By Rachael

Midsummer Madness

Yesterday. A day like today and tomorrow, except yesterday I was going on holiday ! Well for as long as it took you to read that part of the report, my very annoying colleague showed up saying it wasn’t a holiday it was just an expedition.

So we went to a coffee shop and the headed up to the studio. Furthermore we reached the BBC crew just in time, oh and by the way ……….I am fantastic Jeffrey the best reporter of all time.

The BBC news crew demanded my colleague and I to venture to a forest 3250 years ago

When we reached our journeys’ end, we found something small not human but fairy ! We then reached the wood( where we planned to go) a place where phantasmal creatures lurk around restrained by the shadowy plantation, however behind that gloomy silhouette lay an incandescent moonbeam.

As we journeyed deeper we noticed some actors rehearsing a play in the umbilicus of the forest.

We trudged down the dark interminable forest path, the focus from the camera started to fade, then we noticed something……..a monster perhaps ? Our hearts raced against our blood. Several sweat drops ran like people down our tear stained faces. Suddenly a sticky hand rested itself on both of our shoulders; it was…………….

A donkey. Well a man with a donkey head – that I named Bottom – caused by a small sprite named Puck !

Then Titania, the Queen of the Fairies saw Carl (my colleague) and fell immediately in love. I simply closed my eyes and then walked away, unfortunately I walked into a huge oak tree ! When I woke up I heard braying “Are you ok Carl ? It sounds like you have bad cough” I said. I turned around to pass him a cough sweet and noticed it wasn’t Carl at all it was the donkey that had named Bottom.

Titania then ran away with Bottom, they went to ne flowery bed. I imagined it was rather damp in the bed because of the strong rainfall that had happened the previous day, there were a huge variety of flowers, roses, poppies, dandelions and much much more.

They stayed through all weathers while Peaseblossom, Moth, Cobweb and Mustard Seed chanted Titania and her new lover to sleep.

By Ben

Starveling’s Life

Hello I am the incredible Robin Starveling and I performed at the amazing Dukes Wedding day at night. I loved every minute of it by the way!

One week earlier my friends and I were practicing for the most lamentable comedy and cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe. I think it is a really good play and it is so much fun to rehearse.

After lots and lots of rehearsing we finally got to the last rehearsal. Bottom came back from his cue with a head of an ass. I was so terrified I nearly passed out so I ran off.

I ran and ran until I could not run any further. So I climbed up the nearest tree and stayed there until the revolting, beastly vile donkey down at the bottom of the tree was gone.

When the beastly thing was gone I came down and went and got my friends, then we were home and had a cup of tea – to calm all our trembling nerves.

The next day I had my breakfast and went to the Dukes Wedding. After the wedding the Duke called us over and said “that was the best play ever!”

Then I threw the biggest party ever. After the party I slept for 3 days and 4 nights. After I woke up, I hung out with my friends and we never spoke of what happened on Midsummers Night Dream. Until now of course and that is the end of my heart stopping story.

By Joshua