Love’s Magic

An exploration of Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for secondary students.

Love’s Magic is an examination of the nature of love in Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It focusses on the random nature of love and its magic.

Four Actors explore the universal truths about love and how those truths are still relevant today. They demystify Shakespeare’s language by using contemporary analogies.

They examine Shakespeare’s world and belief systems and look at how love can change the course of lives. The tension between the Actors reflects the tension between the characters. As they make these discoveries, the Actors explore the unique properties of theatre and the relationship between audience and performers.

The comic and tragic possibilities of love are dissected and revealed as the Actors own relationships are reflected in the scenes they play.

Style: A combination of Shakespeare and contemporary performance styles

Length: 60 minutes

Casting notes: Flexible cast options for a classroom context: four students could play the designated actors with additional students playing the Shakespearean characters.

Cast age: 12 to 16, 16 to 18

Audience age: teen, young adult

Publisher: Australian Script Centre