Hammersmith residents enjoyed a unique outdoor performance of Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream with a modern twist on Saturday (3 August).
The event, which saw the street closed to traffic, was made possible via Hammersmith & Fulham Council's Play Streets programme.
Staff at the Andover Arms pub in Brackenbury Village worked with local theatre groups to bring a Love Island-themed version of the Shakespeare play to the closed road.
"I loved the idea of taking a play that might be considered 'high brow' and making it accessible to everyone in the local community," Kele Little-Devito from the pub said. "We had such a good turnout. It was very busy with a really good buzz.
"The council was great. On the day, they provided staff members and infrastructure. I cannot say enough how helpful they were," she added.
The temporary road closure transformed the neighbourhood, creating a safe space for the performance and brought the local community out together.
"It changed the atmosphere of the neighbourhood," she said. "Everyone was sitting out in the sun. On Cardross Street, all the kids started playing with chalk and footballs, not having to worry about the cars. I would love to make this a regular occurrence."
Interested in hosting your own street event?
Want to turn your road into a Play Street? These free, temporary road closures let the local community take advantage of street space close to home.
Play Streets are simple to organise as we manage the road closure, provide marshals and barriers, and can even offer activities for school events.
To learn more about hosting your own Play Street, visit the H&F Play Streets webpage or email PlayStreets@lbhf.gov.uk.
