Hi! Welcome back!

So welcome to the part 2 of my day on Saturday 18th Aug; after Drag World and wine, we busted our way on down to the Links Tavern in Liphook, a country pub in my home town that puts on a Shakespeare play every year in their beautiful beer garden.

Let me talk a little about the Links first, let me just clarify, this is no ad for the pub, I just really love it. This pub has my heart, I’ve spent so much time working there, growing my love for cocktails, spirits and cheffing. Working there gave me a new family, new life long friends and new skills that I didn’t know I could even pick up.. I have spent any a hazy summer afternoon in the beer garden, with a cider over ice, soaking in the sun with my friends or chilling by the fire in winter, sat round a copper table, with mulled wine playing a cheeky game of Exploding Kittens or Card’s Against Humanity. Every year they play host to my birthday celebrations and the birthday’s of everyone I love. Everyone has their go to local pub and even though I moved 40 minutes away, this will always be my local. You can follow them on Twitter here @linkstavern1

Now for my review of A Midsummers Night’s Dream, performed by Open Bar Theatre (you can find them on Twitter @weareopenbar)

So let’s go in. This thing was booked out, as it is most years. This would be the third or forth year we have been to these productions and the second time we have seen A Midsummers Nights Dream. In the first version we saw, there seems to be more concentration on costume, but in this version, I was far more fascinated with the acting and the play, rather than what was being worn. It didn’t matter that the costumes didn’t blow the budget, because the acting was superb. There seemed to be less actors involved this year and it totally worked. They played and bounced off each other perfectly; reacting to any situations you couldn’t plan for, with ease and professionalism. You can tell when there is no spark between actors, no matter what the acting is like and this certainly wasn’t an issue for this bunch of thespians.

The only thing that panicked me about the whole thing was the rig you can see above and below; only because I forever have my health and safety hat on.

The wonderful lady who play’s Puck. Girl, I BOW to you, seriously, I see you busting out those silks moves on them green silks, I SEE YOU. I mean I was TERRIFIED you were going to fall but hon, you had me H-O-O-K-E-D. If you could return for all of them and just do more of that, I’ll be front row clapping you onnnnn.

The audience involvement was beautifully done, with no-one feeling awkward, just amusement everywhere. I honestly feel in love with this bunch, because they just worked so well, it may actually be the best one I have seen yet.

Ticket’s start at £13.50 and you can even get a themed meal by the hon’s from the Link’s kitchen. We go every year and I recommend getting there early, so you can get a decent table / seat and see all the action! This is something Fuller’s puts on every year and it’s well worth going just for experience.

Until next time!