Bringing fun, laughter and learning to Shakespeare and great works of literature.
Shakeshorts presents
A Midsummer Night's Dream
About The Show
What is Shakeshorts? Who is Chris Dingli?
Shakeshorts presents A Midsummer Night's Dream was nominated for a National Arts Award in 2018
Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears! I come to present Shakespeare like he hath never been seen before upon thine eyes in Malta!
Aye, tis true - thou must believe me - Shakespeare’s plays are most full of jollity, excitement and naughtiness… perfect for young minds full of mischief.
Shakeshorts presenteth unto you, a rendition of Shakespeare that hath been condensed in length and acted out in brevity using wit, jest and silly hats.
This most excellent show is written by Chris Dingli (with the help of one William Shakespeare), and is presented by no more bodies than can sit in the front seat of a carriage. In duration, it lasts less than the length of time it takes to wax a coxcomb (under an hour).
Thy kids will not sit passively by and watch some old (well 30-something) guy drone on about the Big S. Nay! Children verily will be encouraged to participate and will experience to world of the play itself!
Written and performed in a humorous style that will allow Maltese children to enjoy the stories, and identify with themes and characters whilst gaining confidence with the language, Shakeshorts is most certainly an excellent introduction to Shakespeare (and medieval insults, but that’s just a bonus).
Chris Dingli
Actor, writer and comedian. Trained at Webber Douglas, London.
Born and raised on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta, Chris has spent the last decade working in the UK and Europe.
During the course of his career so far he has performed in a multitude of stage shows and Shakespeare plays, directed and performed at the Edinburgh Festival, created contemporary circus shows, and acted in many film and television shows.
He has written or co-written as well as performed in a number of comedy shows, as well as a comedy TV series and is currently performing in London.
He has written and/or produced several shows for young audiences, including an adaptation of Peer Gynt with the Malta Youth Orchestra (Writer, Teatru Manoel), Holly and the Dreamcatcher (producer Comedy Knights Juniors, Teatru Salesjan) and Bach to School (writer, producer, actor, Culture Pass 2019-20).
His comedy shows regularly sell out and consistently garner rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
Screen credits include 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Doctors (BBC), Agora, Hackney’s Finest and Sinbad (SKY).
Other credits include: I Was a Rat! (UK Tour), Othello (UK Tour), Taming of the Shrew (UK & Norway), Miracle (Leicester Square Theatre), A Midsummer Nights Dream (UK Tour), Twelfth Night (Greenwich Playhouse).
Local credits include The Comedy Knights (Teatru Salesjan/MFCC/Sir Temi Zammit Hall), Dingle Bells Malcolm Smells (St James Cavalier), Amadeus and Cabaret (both Manoel Theatre), Comedy Knights TV Shorts, Caqqufa and Dejjem Tieghek Becky.
Other work includes writing and directing the circus shows Darirari for CirkuMalta (Malta Arts Festival), The Hogwallops (Edinburgh Festival, London and UK tour) and Hotel Paradiso (Edinburgh Festival, London and UK tour).
Chris’ Shakespeare credits as an actor include Twelfth Night (London), Othello (UK National Tour), The Tempest (UK and Norway), All’s Well That Ends Well (Malta), Hamlet (Malta), Macbeth (Malta), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (UK tour), Taming of the Shrew (UK and Norway), As You Like It (Malta), and The Merchant of Venice (Malta). He also formed part of the stage fighting exhibition team at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London.