A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Gardens

It gave me chills last night: there I was, sitting outside on haybales on a lovely spring evening in the manicured gardens of St. John's, watching a rollicking student-run production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which was so well-choreographed and engaging that it kept the audience enthralled and laughing at the Bard's words, over four hundred years after he wrote them.

Sometimes Oxford is about taking time to think, enjoy the gardens on a beautiful clear evening, and sit outside with friends watching Shakespeare come suddenly, magically to life. (And yes, it was easy for me to follow this production, due to talking with one of the student directors beforehand and reading along with the script of a play I know very well.) I'm feeling very fortunate to be here, and am counting more outdoor performances of Shakespeare as a must.