Many thanks to the fabulous cast

We were worried about the weather for Shakespeare on Location. We feared it would rain as it had done all week. If there are such things as weather gods, they were smiling on us as we had excellent weather - if anything it was too hot, (especially for Sarah Bogle in her cape as Chorus from Henry V) but we are not going to complain.

We were also concerned that people might stay away - the combination of the bard and the rain might prove to be too challenging. And yet they came in their droves. The Otago Daily Times was there, taking pictures. Here's Samuel Farr being Hamlet crossed with Bono for the 'I'm-so-much-cooler-than-thou' look.

I heard a comment that the excerpt from King Lear was good because it was basically a stand-alone piece and you could understand the story from that segment. David Cantwell, Jane Robertson, Patricia McInerney and Victoria Keating should be pleased with their Days of Our Lives interpretation.

Understanding might have been more limited for the scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream but the language is so beautiful that you can just let it wash over you, while the fairies (Jo Blick and Samuel Farr) threaten to wilt in the heat.

At least the scene from Antony and Cleopatra was conducted under the shade of the arbour. Jill Derbie's Cleopatra and Jason Medina's Messenger kept their cool.

The sunshine suited the day at the races theme we had chosen for the scene from Hamlet where Getrude (Jane Robertson) attempts to placate an increasingly distraught Ophelia (Caroline Early).

David Cantwell led us delightfully between scenes beside the pond as he sang the Page's song from As You Like It; 'There was a lover and his lass'. Hey Nonny No, indeed!

There were some incredibly quick changes from people; some of whom had to scurry from one spot to another in record time. It wasn't break-neck, but apparently it was strain-calf speed. Samuel Farr and Jason Medina coped admirably for a scene from As You Like It performed on the bridge.

We then crossed over the water where Jill Derbie and Jo Blick proved that Shakespeare is truly universal by performing a scene from Henry V in French.

Juliet (Patricia McInerney) was anxious for night to fall so that she could meet up with Romeo, but probably also because it had been a very long day (eight hours of solid acting on Saturday).

The giggling girls in Much Ado About Nothing (Caroline Early, Victoria Keating and Tanya Surrey) were just gorgeous as they set their trap for Beatrice (Jo Blick) who fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

We had two guides so they took turns leading the tours. Here is Victoria Mills as Prospero, releasing the delighted Ariel (Jane Robertson) in The Tempest.

So perhaps I was tempting fate by gatting Jill Derbie to sing Feste's 'The Rain It Raineth Every Day' from Twelfth Night as the closing song, but thankfully fate stayed resolutely steadfast.

Besides the sun and the cast I also want to mention the fantastic job done by Mary Todd who was an excellent wardrobe mistress and stage manager, keeping the production on track and adhering to its punishing schedule.

And a huge thank you to all the audience who came to see the show - I'd love to hear your feedback. You can also check out the latest from Remarkable Theatre on their website.