A BAFTA-winning and Hollywood actor provided the crowning moment to an Ellesmere Port theatre company's Shakespeare's show.

David Bradley, best known for his roles as Walder Frey in Game Of Thrones and Argus Filch in the Harry Potter films, was in attendance with wife Rosanna as the cast and crew of Chalice Productions performed A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Royal Shakespeare Gardens in Stratford-upon-Avon.

And the renowned actor and his wife came to the rescue when the production company realised an important prop – Oberon's crown – had been left behind.

Director Laura J Harris said: "I was devastated, but when we met with Rosanna and David the night before the performance and I told them, Rosanna immediately offered to 'dig out' David's crown for us to use!"

When she went to collect the crown, creative director, Terasa Newton-Harris discovered there was also a laurel wreath set aside for the Chalice gang to use as well.

The crown was the the same crown that David Bradley had worn in his performance as Henry IV for National Theatre (with a long list of acting royalty predecessors having worn it before David himself), and the laurel wreath was worn during his portrayal of Julius Caesar for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Laughing, David said: "I'm just glad to see someone making use of them again – and doing so very well!"

A longstanding member of the Chalice Productions repertory company, Harley Peers from Williston had been cast as both Oberon and Theseus, and as such got to wear both crowns during the performances and was beyond delighted.

Being only a stone's throw away from Trinity Church, where William Shakespeare is buried, only a handful of companies invited to perform here each year, and only then by appointment of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Chalice Productions' two performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream – which opened RSC's The Dell Festival this year – were attended by almost 400 people in total.

Staff from the Royal Shakespeare Company were "blown away" by the numbers, with Alexandra Murphy, RSC events officer, delightedly noting that she had "never seen [The Dell] so busy".

Laughing along and joining in with the fun throughout the show, David Bradley asked to meet with the cast afterwards and congratulated them on a "brilliant and really vibrant performance".

Laura added: "The whole experience has just been amazing. To be invited to perform one of our adaptations in the RSC Gardens, working under the RSC banner and in the gaze of William Shakespeare's final resting place was just incredible.

"I'm still in a bit of a whir and very much in awe of our team and all that we achieved, not to mention the amazing reception we received from general public, RSC staff and professional performers alike.

"The fact that David was also able to make the performance was just wonderful for all the cast. He's such a lovely guy. Such a gentleman and nothing like the grumpy, grouchy or treacherous characters he often portrays!"

David Bradley and wife Rosanna revealed to creative director Terasa that they had rearranged their plans specifically to come and catch Chalice Production's first performance in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Terasa added: "David and Rosanna are so kind and patient, they are really lovely people. David spent so much time with the actors, praising them and posing for photos after the performance. It was definitely the icing on the cake!"

Chalice Productions took its Shakespeare show to Bridge Community Farms and Wellness Gardens on Saturday. Although terrible weather forced the cancellation of the afternoon performance, the evening show went ahead.