A Midsummer Night's Dream

'Lord, what fools these mortals be!'

Hermia loves Lysander and Helena loves Demetrius – but Demetrius is supposed to be marrying Hermia… When the Duke of Athens tries to enforce the marriage, the lovers take refuge in the woods and wander into the midst of a dispute between the king and queen of the fairies.

Shakespeare put some of his most dazzling dramatic poetry at the service of this teasing, glittering, hilarious and amazingly inventive play, whose seriousness is only fleetingly glimpsed beneath its dreamlike surface.

This production employs Renaissance costumes and staging.

Synopsis

An enchanted forest charms a disenchanted court. In Athens a daughter's disobedience forces two lovers to flee to the woods, pursued by the two lovers they rejected. In the woods, amateur actors rehearse a play, while the king of fairies plays tricks and captivates the night. A mischievous Puck with the magical juice of a flower helps love lose its way while the fairy queen falls for an ass; the king and queen of the fairies reconcile; the lovers find each other, return to court and marriage celebrations end in a theatrical dream.

Running time: 167 mins