A Midsummer Night’s Dream

I played Mustardseed in this magnificent production by Richard Cottrell in early 1980 alongside one of the most gifted and charismatic casts imaginable, as anyone scanning the list of actors will surely agree. It moved to the London Old Vic in the summer, where it continued to attract the most enthusiastic reviews, and rightfully so.

Cast & Crew

Cast

Bottom
Cobweb
Demetrius
Egeus
Fairy
Fairy
Fairy
Fairy
Francis Flute, a bellows-mender
Helena
Hermia
Hippolyta
Lysander
Moth
Mustardseed
Oberon
Peaseblossom
Peter Quince
Philostrate
Puck
Robin Starveling
Snug
Theseus
Titania
Tom Snout

Crew

Composer
Designer
Director

Seen by

Photographs

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Play description

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a classic and much loved text by William Shakespeare. Written around the late 1500s, like most Shakespearean texts, A Midsummer Night’s Dream stands the test of time; the narrative is almost timeless and it is still performed regularly to this day.

The story is about four Athenian “lovers” who are all in love with one another; Hermia and Lysander are in love but Hermia’s farther, Egeus, wants her to marry Demetrius who also loves her. Left behind is poor Helena, who has a deep and unrequited love for Demetrius. As Hermia and Lysander run away together to a nearby forest on the eve of a big Athenian wedding between Theseus and Hippolyta. Demetrius follows the object of his affection, as does Helena.

Chaos ensues as the escaped lovers are set upon by magical forces dwelling in the woods. As a result of a magic potion, the lovers fall for different women.

Also affected by the mischevious woodland spirits are “the Mechanicals”, labourers from Athens who are practicing a play for the royal Athenian wedding.

Hilarity, sexuality and desire are key themes in this whimsical text by Shakespeare.

Observations

  1. On 3rd January 2011 at 2:51 p.m., Carl Halling noted:

    I played Mustardseed in this magnificent production by Richard Cottrell in early 1980 alongside one of the most gifted and charismatic casts imaginable, as anyone scanning the list of actors will surely agree. It moved to the London Old Vic in the summer, where it continued to attract the most enthusiastic reviews, and rightfully so.

  2. On 22nd February 2020 at 5:48 p.m., BristolRose noted:

    I saw this production in both Bristol and London, it was that good!

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