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.
Up to 15 young people on the autism spectrum become the participants for each performance, sitting with seven actors in a circle on our stage. Their families or carers sit just behind. The actors encourage the participants to play sensory games and together they unravel Shakespeare’s story.