A Caribbean Dream

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A Caribbean Dream
A Caribbean Dream.jpg
Directed byShakirah Bourne
Written byShakirah Bourne
Produced byMelissa Simmonds
Lynette Eastmond
Starring Aden Gillett, Sonia Williams, Susannah Harker, Adrian Green, Lorna Gayle
Release date
  • 2017 (2017)

A Caribbean Dream is a 2017 romantic comedy, produced by Melissa Simmonds and Lynette Eastmond, directed by Shakirah Bourne. The adaptation of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream was conceptualised and cast by Melissa Simmonds and written by Shakirah Bourne. The film stars Aden Gillett as Theseus, Sonia Williams as Hippolyta, Susannah Harker as Titania and Adrian Green as Oberon with Lorna Gayle as Bottom. There is an extensive cast of both English and Barbadian actors, this re-imagined traditional tale takes a twist under the full moon, as many wonders occur during this fated Caribbean Festival. [1] [2]

Contents

The film won Best Feature at the 2017 London Independent Film Festival, [3] Best Produced Drama at the 2018 National Film Awards in the UK, [4] Best International Film at the 2017 Charlotte Black Film Festival, [5] and Best Produced Screenplay at the 2017 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards. [6] [7] Additionally, it was nominated for the East End Film Festival in 2017 [8]

Plot

Set in modern day, on the Caribbean island of Barbados, the film "plays out in a carnival atmosphere as Puck - the butler - and the staff of a tropical home, turn into mischievous fairies and tamper with the wedding plans of three couples". [9] [10] While Theseus and Hippolyta are returning nationals, we also reconvene with some of our beloved characters, including Birdman and a Changeling boy, the mechanicals re-imagined as fishermen, the fairies carrying mobile phones, and a female Bottom as a Black Belly Sheep. [11] [12] Through an intertwining of Caribbean and Shakespearean folklore, culture history, and the surrounding landscape, the story unfolds in chaos and madness as mystery, magic and romance take over underneath the Caribbean moonlight.

Hermia is promised in marriage to Demetrius, but she is in love with Lysander, who is also secretly in love with her. Hermia must marry Demetrius or forfeit everything, so she and Lysander flee into the forest. Meanwhile, Helena pines for Lysander, but the more she pursues him (via mobile phone) the faster he flees.

Meanwhile a group of fishermen and women are preparing for a talent contest by creating a play, The Untold Story of King JaJa and The Young Becca, based on a local folk song about the relationship between King Jaja of Opobo and a young Barbadian girl.

Moving from the beach, to the dream-like and magical fairy kingdom in the forest, to the frenzy of the modern-day carnival, the story moves along as Oberon asks Puck to use a love potion on Queen Titania in order to make her fall in love with the first living creature she sees upon waking. Later the same tactic is used, accidentally, on Lysander, causing him to fall in love with Helena, resulting in a fight between Hermia and Helena.

In the end, after all the madness and chaos is sorted out, the film finishes with a triple wedding. [13]

Cast

Production

The film was the brainchild of British and Barbadian producer Melissa Simmonds, the film was shot in Barbados in 2015 with 75% Barbadian and 25% British cast and crew . [14] [5] This film explores Caribbean folklore and culture through a unique and entertaining re-telling of one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies. While other adaptations, notably Much Ado About Nothing (2012) are shot in mono-chrome, this film uses bold, vibrant, and hyper realistic colors to immerse the viewer into the fairy tale. [15] Though it is not a straight retelling of Shakespeare's play, it includes a great portion of the original text and original soul of the play, intertwining it with an authentic, upbeat Barbadian soundtrack. [13] [16] As director Shakirah Bourne adds: "What you will see when you watch A Caribbean Dream is Shakespeare’s words spoken in Bajan dialect and with a Bajan accent, and the visuals will definitely help with the understanding of the play". [17]

Executive Producers: Christian Roberts and Keith Morris.

Reception

A Caribbean Dream garnered much attention over its release, and its unique multicultural production. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 67%, based on 6 reviews. [18] On Caution Spoilers review aggregator website, the film receives 4 out of 5 stars. In her review, Sarah, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, states: "It’s an excellent introduction to one of his loveliest plays, in an accessibly modern setting. And while cutting so much is always going to mean losing some depth, it is still a rather magical retelling of an age-old story". [13]

Writing for The Guardian , Cath Clarke gave the film three out of five stars. [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>A Midsummer Nights Dream</i> Play by William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are to perform before the wedding. Both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans and are engaged in their own domestic intrigue. A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's most popular and widely performed plays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oberon</span> King of the fairies in medieval, Renaissance literature

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Bottom</span> Character in A Midsummer Nights Dream

Nick Bottom is a character in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream who provides comic relief throughout the play. A weaver by trade, he is famously known for getting his head transformed into that of a donkey by the elusive Puck. Bottom and Puck are the only two characters who converse with and progress the three central stories in the whole play. Puck is first introduced in the fairies' story and creates the drama of the lovers' story by messing up who loves whom, and places the donkey head on Bottom's in his story. Similarly, Bottom is performing in a play in his story intending it to be presented in the lovers' story, as well as interacting with Titania in the fairies' story.

Helena (<i>A Midsummer Nights Dream</i>) Character in A Midsummer Nights Dream

Helena is one of four young lovers – the others being Demetrius, Lysander, Hermia – featured in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Titania (<i>A Midsummer Nights Dream</i>) Character in A Midsummer Nights Dream

Titania is a character in William Shakespeare's 1595–1596 play A Midsummer Night's Dream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hermia</span> Character in A Midsummer Nights Dream

Hermia is a fictional character from Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. She is a girl of ancient Athens named for Hermes, the Greek god of trade.

<i>A Midsummer Nights Dream</i> (1968 film) 1968 film by Peter Hall

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a 1968 British film of William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Peter Hall.

<i>A Midsummer Nights Dream</i> (1999 film) 1999 film by Michael Hoffman

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<i>Il Sogno</i> 2004 studio album by Elvis Costello

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<i>A Midsummer Nights Dream</i> (1935 film) 1935 film by William Dieterle and Max Reinhardt

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a 1935 American film adaptation of the Shakespearean play of the same name. It is directed by Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle, produced by Warner Bros., and stars James Cagney, Mickey Rooney, Olivia de Havilland, Jean Muir, Joe E. Brown, Dick Powell, Ross Alexander, Anita Louise, Victor Jory and Ian Hunter. The screenplay, written by Charles Kenyon and Mary C. McCall Jr., is adapted from Reinhardt's Hollywood Bowl production of the play from the previous year.

<i>A Midsummer Nights Dream</i> (1909 film) 1909 American film directed by Charles Kent and J. Stuart Blackton

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a 1909 American film directed by Charles Kent and J. Stuart Blackton, and starring Walter Ackerman and Charles Chapman. It was the first film adaptation of the eponymous play by William Shakespeare. The movie was made during summer 1909, but not released until December 25.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a 1959 Czechoslovak animated puppet film directed by Jiří Trnka, his last feature length film before his death 10 years later in 1969. It is based on the Shakespeare play of the same name.

RSC production of <i>A Midsummer Nights Dream</i> (1970) Shakespeare play production

The 1970 Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production of A Midsummer Night's Dream was directed by Peter Brook, and is often known simply as Peter Brook'sDream. It opened in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon and then moved to the Aldwych Theatre in London's West End in 1971. It was taken on a world tour in 1972–1973. Brook's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream for the RSC is often described as one of the 20th century's most influential productions of Shakespeare, as it rejected many traditional ideas about the staging of classic drama.

The Dream is a one-act ballet adapted from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, with choreography by Frederick Ashton to music by Mendelssohn arranged by John Lanchbery. It was premiered by The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 2 April 1964 in a triple bill with Kenneth MacMillan's Images of Love and Robert Helpmann's Hamlet.

Demetrius is one of the lovers in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. He is a young man who is engaged to a young woman, Hermia, who is in love with Lysander.

<i>Wood Love</i> 1925 film

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<i>A Midsummer Nights Dream</i> (2016 film) 2016 British television film

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a 2016 British television film based on the William Shakespeare play A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was adapted by Russell T Davies, directed by David Kerr and produced by Nikki Wilson. It stars Maxine Peake as Titania, Matt Lucas as Bottom, John Hannah as Theseus and Nonso Anozie as Oberon. The film was first broadcast on 30 May 2016 on BBC One.

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References

  1. "A Caribbean Dream". The Film Catalogue.
  2. "Review: A Caribbean Dream". BRWC. 5 February 2018.
  3. "London Independent Film Festival". London Independent Film Festival. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  4. "National Film Awards". National Film Awards.
  5. 1 2 "Barbadian Film opens in UK cinemas". Nation News. 6 November 2017. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  6. "YET ANOTHER WIN FOR A CARIBBEAN DREAM". Zeitgeist Entertainment Magazine. 30 March 2018.
  7. "Barbados Films Upping The Game". Caribbean Entertainment Hub. 27 May 2018.
  8. "A Caribbean Dream". East End Film Festival.
  9. "Shakespeare Heads To The Islands For A Caribbean Dream". The Voice. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019.
  10. "A Caribbean Dream". Eye for Film.
  11. 1 2 "A Caribbean Dream review – Shakespeare goes to carnival". The Guardian. 10 November 2017.
  12. Potton, Ed. "Film review: A Caribbean Dream". The Times.
  13. 1 2 3 "A Caribbean Dream". Caution Spoilers. 6 February 2018.
  14. "UK & CARIBBEAN FILM DEVELOPMENT". UK & Caribbean Film Development.
  15. "From director Shakirah Bourne, new film A Caribbean Dream tells us two things – that Barbados is quite possibly Paradise on Earth, and that Shakespeare travels extremely well". Shakespeare Magazine. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  16. "Film Review: A Caribbean Dream". The London Economic. 10 November 2017. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  17. "Barbadian Shakirah Bourne — living the Dream". Caribbean Beat. May 2016.
  18. "A Caribbean Dream". Rotten Tomatoes.