Bottom's up as Sutton woman's lands dream role with RSC

Rebecca Morris, from Stuart Street in Sutton, will be playing the iconic character of Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream when it tours in the summer.

The actor from Lovelace Theatre Group is thrilled to be working with the professionals as the play embarks on its biggest project yet - a nationwide tour with nearly 700 cast members.

The 42-year-old said: “Not even in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be on the stage performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company - I still can’t believe it.”

The shows will be performed at locations around the country before returning to Stratford for midsummer, when each of the amateur companies will perform at the RSC.

The project, Dream 2016, is being done to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 1616.

Amateur groups started auditioning last year and it was only when Lovelace got down to the final two for Nottinghamshire that Rebecca started to get excited.

The mum-of-one said: “It was only then that I realised we might be in with a chance and the nerves kicked in.”

Actors had to prepare monologues, learn choreographed dances as part of the selection process.

Once Lovelace had been selected it was up to the individual directors to assign the cast list.

Rebecca, who works as a post-16 learning mentor at The Holgate Academy, Hucknall, was cast as Bottom who provides comic relief and is famed for having a head transformed into a donkey.

Nick Bottom has traditionally been played as a male role and having Rebecca take on the character will be a first for the Royal Shakespeare Company who have never cast a woman for the role.

It was later announced another amateur group has also cast a female for the Bottom part.

Rebecca said: “It is a great honour to know that my gender hasn’t stopped me getting a part.”

Rehearsals are done via Skype and conference calls.

However, as bottom has more interaction with the other characters Rebecca goes to London every weekend to get practise time in with the professional cast.

The touring show will be heading to the Theatre Royal in Nottingham in May.

“It is such a big stage and a little daunting compared to our other smaller venues we normally perform in,” she said.

“This play is loved by so many people and I think that because the RSC are working with smaller groups it opens doors and opportunities for us to explore new paths.”

A woman in a man’s world - how Rebecca will perform Bottom

Dream 2016 is set in post Second World War England and Rebecca will be during on the strengths of the women at the time to play the role.

“It was an exciting time to be a woman then - they had been given more opportunities during the war and were not prepared to give them up just because men were home from war.

“This si the same for me just because it has previously been played by a man doesn’t mean I can’t do it.”

The romantic storyline between Bottom and a woman is being kept in for Rebecca who thinks gender should not be an issue for love.

She added: “As there has never been a woman in this role the spotlight will be on the RSC and me to see how I fair which is daunting but only to be expected.”