Wild Time by Rose Biggin and Keir Cooper
Publisher – Surface Press
Published – Out Now
Price - for more info check https://rosebiggin-keircooper.bandcamp.com/releases
The Duke of Athens and the Amazon Queen are getting married in the morning. It's going to be a big one, and everyone's invited. The King and Queen of the Fairies arrive into ancient Athens, ready to be guests of honour at the party of the age.
There's a gifted new Changeling in town -- a uniquely talented human who's attracting some attention. Titania has plans, Oberon's wound up about it, there's a long night ahead and naturally it all comes down to who does what. The planets have their own ideas, and elsewhere, deep within the forest, we see a leatherworker and part-time male stripper rehearsing a play that's ahead of its time...
This is A Midsummer Night's Dream as you've never known it before. A punk revision of Shakespeare's narratives of pleasure and power, WILD TIME is a new world composed of erotic and theatrical acrobatics, taking liberties with Greek gods and literary idols like nothing is sacred. It's funny, it's sexy, and you've got a front row seat.
Shakespeare is I admit pretty damn good; but I do think his fantasy needed a bit more work. Like many students A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the first times we may get exposed to seeing fantasy in the classics. It’s a standard GCSE text in the UK to introduce kids to Shakespeare which is an interesting choice. I suspect it’s felt as lighter material…although I suspect while we got to appreciate the language of Shakespeare I do think my teachers passed over the sexual nature of the text and also the appalling sexism/lack of consent that hits a number of characters. The fun bit though about Shakespeare is that the stories get re-invented and more importnalty re-interpreted and that’s the best part of watching performances – a good adaptation can both challenge the issues of the original and celebrate the best parts of it too. In Wild Time Rose Biggin and Keir Cooper present a very different take on the tale – a wonderful mix of the modern, the magical and the sensual.
Come to ancient Athens as you may not quite recall. Yes, once again Theseus is marry Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons but this time Titania Queen of the Fairies has prepared a gift – a changeling who offers wonderful company sexually as well as personally (plus loves his morning runs). This leads to a modest row with her partner Oberon who would much prefer the Changeling stayed with the fae couple. Oberon wants to apologise and with the help of mischievous Puck has found a suitable candidate in the form of the wannabe actor Bottom. Athens though has a night in store to remember thanks to Amazons on a hen night.
What Biggin and Cooper have brought top the mix are the sensual and magical sides of the play. The key focus is on Titania and Oberon’s dealing and this time less of feuding magical courts and teaching partners cruel lessons but partners learning to better communicate. This version of the story focuses on the relationships these fae inhabit and also their ability to throw away inhibitions. They are free spirited not viewing one as subservient to the other. The theme her is learning to understand your partners be you fae, Athenian royalty or in one brilliant idea the heavenly bodies planet Hel3na, binary star Li Sander even begin flirting through the power of physics.
This is a story of passion and the tale’s language is powerful and sensual. The fae’s attractiveness changes nature and reaches to the stars. In this case Titania’s partners are all aware and consenting of what has changed. Sex is not subtextual and sometimes explicit but nor is it something felt shameful in this tale. The use of language here is exquisite and what I also loved was the weird blend of anachronistic language and imagery. This story has its own reality and yet doesn’t throw you out of the story. Smart yet funny; absurd and powerfully intoxicating.
As the dark nights draw in this is a perfect evening read to take you away from it all; raise your passions, make you smile and remember that life needs some magic to make it interesting. Far more fun than my fourth year GCSE exam and one of my highlights of 2020 reading.
