SHAKESPEARE IN THE VILLAGE.
rro THE EDITOR 07 THE "SPECTATOR:g SIB,—On Monday last, the 23rd inst., being the triple anniversary of St. George's Day, and Shakespeare's birth and death day, we played the Pyramus and Thisbe interlude from Midsummer Night's Dream in this East Kent village for the benefit of the rifle club which we are about to form. The whole of the dramatis personae were inhabitants of the parish. The costumes, the scenery—scanty in accordance with Elizabethan custom—thelproperties, the stage, and the decora- tions of the room were entirely home productions, and largely from the hands of men who had their own bread-winning to do during the day. So keen was the enthusiasm that in five days the little piece was learned and rehearsed so that on the night of performance not one hitch occurred and the prompter had nothing to do. Probably there were some in the audience who could not quite appreciate the humour of the play itself, but the Titania and fairy scenes, and the concluding tableau of St. George, who spoke an appropriate epilogue, were enthusiastically received. The result of the experiment is so encouraging that we hope before next St. George's Day to train our local wings to a higher Shakespearian flight.—I am,
Sir, &c., FRANCIS ABELL. Kennington Hall, Ashford, Kent.
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