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:

10 April 2012

Antic Disposition's funny and wise production of A Midsummer Night's Dream is staged in the Elizabethan grandeur of the Middle Temple Hall where suits of armour and portraits of English monarchs seem to join the audience and watch down upon the proceedings.

The local tradesmen of Athens are unperturbed by such surroundings: in a sweet touch, Quince, Bottom et al saunter into the hall and chat to the audience while they settle.

There is no set to speak of (save some ladders which are used by the fairies to perch upon and from which to spy upon the mortals), encouraging the audience to use their imaginations and Shakespeare's language to paint the landscape around them.

What really sets the piece apart is not its staging nor the harmonious (if over-cinematic) melodies by James Borrows, but its lively wit and joie de vivre.

The audience was delighted by touches such as Snout (Chris Waplington) giving Bottom ([Nicholas Whit...

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