Template talk:A Midsummer Night's Dream

Summer Day's Dream

Alright, let's hash this out. I added the 1949 play Summer Day's Dream to the template's related section. TonyTheTiger, you removed it saying rm content only linked by similar name. I added it back, saying Disagree that Summer Day's Dream is only linked by name. I haven't seen it, but, according to plot summary, a production of AMND is a plot point, and a Guardian review says it "has strong echoes of A Midsummer Night's Dream". You then removed it again, saying nothing in the article suggests any connection to MsND than by name.

I had never even heard of Summer Day's Dream before I started work on template, so I don't have strong feelings about this, but:

Here's what the Summer article says: It takes its title from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which is being produced by two members of the English family the play is based around. I take that sentence to mean that characters within the play ("two members of the English family") are producing a version of Midsummer Night's Dream.

Doing a search of the play on Google Books seems to confirm this. Characters do talk about doing a "private performance" of Midsummer. Also, one source that's listed in the article, a Guardian review of a production, does, as noted, say the play has "strong echoes" of Midsummer. WanderingWanda (they/them) (t/c) 01:19, 2 May 2019 (UTC)

• WanderingWanda, if you can add some content to the article that is reliably sourced and preferably with WP:ICs, you can restore this to the template.-TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 22:52, 7 May 2019 (UTC)
• Hmm. I'm not sure I'd be as adamant as Tony in insisting the article needs to have material to substantiate the connection, so long as the reliable sources make it plausible or even probable that a well-developed article would have that material.
  That being said, I think the "title is taken from / based on" and "someone is performing / quoting / referencing" A Midsummer Night's Dream connections are generally too weak to merit inclusion. You can find some kind of Shakespeare reference in maybe half (pulled out of the air) of all media the last half century so something stronger is, in my opinion, needed. For example, a quick scan of the plot suggests the core part of it may have been partly inspired by Shakespeare's. Do any RS comment on that? Do any of the critical editions of Shakespeare's play mention this one as an adaptation or work inspired by it?
  The review in The Guardian is by Michael Billington who definitely counts as a reliable source on British theater in performance, but his mention of the connection is incidental and he's not an expert in the wider area of the play or Shakespeare, nor is he published anywhere peer-reviewed. Or put another way: I would consider an argument based on the one sentence from Billington a valid argument, but it wouldn't be sufficient on its own to convince me. But in all fairness I should note that I think these templates are way too cluttered as it is, and includes far too much that are only marginally related. I don't think the addition of this play would make much of a difference in that sense. --Xover (talk) 04:55, 8 May 2019 (UTC)
  • Thanks for your thoughtful reply, Xover. I think I will drop the matter. (This also made me consider whether the connection between Dead Poet's Society and AMND might be too tenuous. Ultimately I don't think so: not only is the play performed during the movie, but the performance is a pivotal scene.) WanderingWanda (talk) 16:43, 8 May 2019 (UTC)
• Although I continue to watch this template in general, I am no longer watching this thread. If you need further feedback go to WP:SHAKESPEARE.-TonyTheTiger (T / C / WP:FOUR / WP:CHICAGO / WP:WAWARD) 16:51, 8 May 2019 (UTC)