A Midsummer Night's Dream

Plot

This play gets its title from the name of a British holiday called Midsummer Day, the feast of John the Baptist, celebrated on June 24 with merrymaking. On Midsummer Night, witches, goblins, and fairies materialized to hold a festival of their own. Shakespeare's play capitalizes on the magic of the occasion. Set in Athens, it begins when Duke Theseus orders gala ceremonies for his coming marriage to Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. But domestic strife intrudes upon the gay atmosphere when one of the duke's subjects, Hermia, chooses Lysander as her future husband over her father Egeus' choice, Demetrius. Theseus reminds Hermia of a law requiring her to obey her father or face death or banishment. Hermia and Lysander then escape to the woods. There, tradesmen are rehearsing a play for the duke's wedding. Demetrius, the rejected suitor, searches the woods for Hermia, while another young lady, Helena, follows him, praying that he will bestow his love on her instead of Hermia. Also in the woods are fairies gathered to bless the duke's wedding. Oberon, the fairy king, argues violently with his queen, Titania, after she refuses to give him a boy he wants as a servant. In retaliation, Oberon orders a fairy named Puck to concoct a potion of flower juice, which, when squeezed on Titania's eyelids, will enamor her of the first creature she sees -- whether animal or man. Witnessing the love problems of Helena and Demetrius, Oberon decides a dose of flower juice will do them good. But because of mischief and mixups, Puck's potion anoints indiscriminately, and everyone temporarily falls in love with the wrong person. Titania ends up with bumpkin Bottom, a tradesman wearing the head of an ass. Eventually, remedial magic rights the wrongs and a triple wedding takes place. ~ Mike Cummings, Rovi

Review

In the late '70s and early '80s, the British Broadcasting Corporation completed video adaptations of 37 Shakespeare plays. This 1981 version of A Midsummer Night's Dream was part of that effort. Like other productions in the BBC series, it presents the plays without special effects or elaborate scenery. It is basic Shakespeare, but it is good Shakespeare. Almost all of the 17,200 words in the play are recited by accomplished British performers, including Nigel Davenport as Theseus, Peter McEnery as Oberon, Helen Mirren as Titania, Pippa Guard as Hermia, Robert Lindsay as Lysander, and Brian Glover as Bottom. Generally, the performances are engaging and suitably mischievous. Director Elijah Moshinsky, as well known for directing operas as for directing plays and films, manipulates the characters skillfully. But he eschews a 20th century feminist convention to magnify the importance of Hippolyta. While other productions have kept her on the stage as a queenly presence after she has spoken her mind, Moshinsky poofs her offstage. Nor does Moshinsky exploit the erotic possibilities of bumbling yokel Bottom's encounter with sultry Titania after magical flower juice makes her fall in love with him. Such traditionalism makes the presentation of the play more Elizabethan than modern and more acceptable to audiences who prefer the look and feel of the play as seen in Shakespeare's time. Critics who prefer revisionist versions call this production risk-free Shakespeare -- that is, generic and uninspired. Shakespeare might say to them, as Helena does in A Midsummer Night's Dream, "Fie, fie! you counterfeit...!" ~ Mike Cummings, Rovi

Cast

• Helen Mirren - Titania

Phil Daniels - Puck; Nigel Davenport - Theseus; John Fowler - Flute; Brian Glover - Bottom; Pippa Guard - Hermia; Nicky Henson - Demetrius; Nat Jackley - Snout; Robert Lindsay - Lysander; Peter McEnery - Oberon; Geoffrey Palmer - Quince; Hugh Quarshie - Philostrate; Geoffrey Lumsden - Egeus; Ray Mort - Snug; Don Estelle - Starveling

Credit

Eleanor Fazan - Choreography, Amy Roberts - Costume Designer, Elijah Moshinsky - Director, Stephen Oliver - Composer (Music Score), Jenny Shircore - Makeup, David Myerscough-Jones - Production Designer, Jonathan Miller - Producer, Derek Miller-Timmins - Sound/Sound Designer

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