A Midsummer Night's Dream

Synopsis

On a midsummer's night Hermia and her lover Lysander flee from Athens and Demetrius - the man Hermia's father favours as a son-in-law. Demetrius follows, pursued by Helena who loves him in spite of being spurned in favour of Hermia. On the same night Bottom and his friends leave Athens to find somewhere quiet to rehearse their play which is to be performed at the wedding feast of Duke Theseus. Drawn into the woods they enter a world of magic, mystery and wonder.

Our Review:

20 September 2001

A Midsummer Night's Dream is the perfect introduction to Shakespeare, being one of the bard's most accessible works after all. Which probably accounts for the youthful audience. Indeed, worthy of a mention is the passion of English lit students in the city of York these days. Not for language, fine prose and a gorgeous set but for eating boiled sweets with incredibly crinkly wrappers, heightening the drama with the well timed opening of a can of drink, or rifling through a bag to find their mobile telephone on the off chance that a new text message has arrived.

Let's hope that the co-directors of this quite brilliant effort, Damian Cruden and Lucy Pitman-Wallace, and the fine cast of twelve players, who must have heard the rabble, didn't take offence. Although, with an emphasis on the fun and frivolity of this particular production, one almost feels that they wouldn't mind too much. That's the point, really. If anything is going to get you excited about Shakesp...

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Latest User Review

USER: Whatsonstage.com - 21 September 2001:

Quite simply the most beautiful and original production of this play I have ever seen - sheer delight from start to finish. I just hope that none of the cast die of pneumonia... I must admit that I have not been impressed by Andrina Carroll's previous work (her performance in last year's West Yorkshire Playhouse production of "Spring and Port Wine" was the most toe-curling display of overacting I've ever seen) but here she is a fine Titania/Hippolyta, an excellent foil to the dignified Oberon/Theseus of Gareth Tudor Price. Malcolm Scates (Bottom) and Michael Glenn Murphy (Puck) are superb, and Nicola Barber is an enchanting Helena - she also has an absolutely gorgeous voice, rather like that of the young Glynis Johns. As for the simple but ravishing designs by Dawn Allsop - well, the fairies will never be the same again after you've seen them portrayed as exquisite but faintly sinister creatures completely swathed in orange and yellow fabric, like ghosts in carnival attire. This show is a triumph for director Damian Cruden, composer Christopher Madin and everyone associated with it; I will certainly be making a second visit and I urge all Shakespeare lovers not to miss it....

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