There’s lots of Shakespeare coming to television it seems. I’ve written in the past that there’s no less than three separate Romeo and Juliet adaptations in the works.
But what shall we make of Lifetime Channel’s A Midsummer’s Nightmare? I tagged it thinking that it’d be some zany spin on the mistaken identities and love potions, you know, the usual stuff.
Nah. Looks like a direct competitor to Grimm or Once Upon A Time in that it’s going to be “horror” versions of Shakespeare plays, instead of fairy tales:
“A Midsummer’s Nightmare,” from A+E Studios, is described as an adaptation of Shakespeare plays that are turned into contemporary horror mysteries. Each season would take on a different play, starting with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Screenwriter Anthony Jaswinski is adapting “Midsummer” as a story that finds two young lovers on a getaway in the woods who wind up in a struggle to survive as friends arrive to lure them home.
This sound interesting to anybody? I suppose if you told me they’re going to work in the original text I might be curious, but otherwise it sounds like it’s got the potential to have about as much Shakespeare as the Lion King. I don’t think I’ll be setting my DVR.