Bard in the Botanics

What a fabulous way to enjoy some theatre — outside, in the sunshine and far away from any actual theatre.
Bard in the Botanics is a simple idea — a play in a park, essentially. It’s set up nicely with a closed off area on a banked part of the Botanics so you get a good view of the stage from where ever you’re sitting.
We were seeing the Comedy of Errors and the performance was brilliant. Added to it was an absolutely glorious summer night, so it was a pleasant experience to sit out and enjoy it. You can hire a wee stool but why not take along your own blanket and enjoy the picnic experience? You can also take your own food and drink (I don’t think there’s any to buy nearby anyway).
They ensure the park toilets are kept open if you need to visit — beware of the mad dash during the intermission though!
Bard in the Botanics is already on my list of things to do next summer!

If the preview opening night is anything to go by, Glasgow is in for a treat with this year’s Bard in the Botanics. For the eighth year running, a small audience laid their blankets and picnic chairs under the canopy of trees and enjoyed 2 ½ hours of Shakespeare al fresco.
The first play of four is King Lear, one of the better known and easier to follow Shakespeare plays. I won’t go into the finer details of the play itself, but I think anyone with a love of theatre, performance and good entertainment couldn’t fail to be disapointed. Yes, you need to sit on either a blanket or pop-​up chair (or a rented stool with no back). Yes, it gets colder as the night wears on (we live in Scotland! Bring a fleece!) Yes, you’ll probably come away scratching a few new midgie bites. But you’ll have experienced a 400 year old play that pays homage to to its origins and expresses its essence. In other words, it’s damned good!
With only one or two stage props and full costumes, the rest of the production is very humble. You can see the actors walk around the audience from stage right to stage left. But the experience is one you’l be hard pushed to find in a warm, cushioned, dark-​lit theatre.
The acting itself was brilliant. I admit I haven’t been to many Shakespeare plays, and this is my first King Lear, but having done English Literature at University I feel entitled to say it was an excellent production, with the characters wholly engaging, convincing, humourous, dramatic, and real.
The performance was made all the better when, during the thunder clap of the storm that heralds Lear’s madness, it literally began to rain. The collective audience’s gasp and laughter at such typical Glasgow behaviour added to the community spirit that such a small performance gives.
There are four plays showing throughout the summer, roughly between 25^th June — 10^th July.
King Lear
Queen Margaret
Twelfth Night
Titus Andronicus
I would highly recommend King Lear based on the performance tonight, and if you can suffer a bit of Glasgow chill and drizzle, leave the comfy pint and bar stool behind and enjoy the Glasgow summer, and west end festival, in the beautiful Botanic Gardens one evening with some strawberries, non-​alcoholic fizz, a picnic blanket, and top-​class dramatic entertainment as Shakespeare most likely intended (minus the midgies).