Globe Education Online

Resources for people passionate about learning and engaging with Shakespeare's plays

A Midsummer Night's Dream (2010)

directed by Raz Shaw


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 outside the city, and walk into the midst of a dispute between the king and queen of the fairies. But they are not alone. So, too, does a group of amateur actors rehearsing a play. Between the angry fairies, the bumbling players and the dazed lovers, flies Puck armed with a love juice capable of making anyone fall for the first person they set eyes upon – no matter how unsuitable.

Performed on an Elizabethan-inspired stage, a small troupe of travelling players breathe new life into this amazingly inventive play. Dreamlike, funny and beautiful, eight talented actors reinvent Renaissance touring theatre for the 21st century with Shakespeare’s greatest comedy.


Creative Team

Director: Raz Shaw
Designer: Hannah Clark
Composer: Alex Silverman



Cast

Louise Ford - Helena
Jasmine Hyde - Titania/Hippolyta
Will Mannering - Bottom
Simon Merrells - Oberon
Mark Quartley - Lysander
Bethan Walker - Puck
Leon Williams - Demetrius
Hara Yannas - Hermia

 


Discover the Play

• Follow our actors on their tour with 'Letters Home' from each of the venues they go to:

- Helena (Lousie Ford)
- Bottom (Will Mannering)
- Puck (Bethan Walker)

• Discover previous performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream on the Globe's main stage:

- 2002 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream
- 2008 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream


Just Opinions

"deliver, like free and honest men, our just opinions" 
Henry VIII, 3.1.63-64

Have you been to see this season's production? Post your thoughts on the 2010 A Midsummer Night's Dream below:

Comments

Dear Lords and Ladies, It

Dear Lords and Ladies,
It took me long to write some lines about this years performance of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' here in Oslo, but here they are, still written under the magic influence of this fantastic play. This play is still in my mind. All actors played at top level, discovering together the charm and humor of Shakespeare's play, changing the characters like the pictures in a kaleidoscope, different angles, different perspectives. It was a splendid fountain, full of creativity and joy. But the icing of this theater desert here in Oslo was Puck, the sparkling star in this part of the Shakespeare universe. Holding all the strings of the play together, he, or better say she, was able to switch of gravity, the Midsummer Night's Dream was floating. Thank you, Bethan, and all the other fantastic players for bringing so much joy into the north of Europe.

Best wishes for the coming year. Looking forward to the next encounter here in Oslo, maybe 2011.

Oliver

What a great performance! We

What a great performance! We saw the production at Neuss on July 17 and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Quite possibly the best "Midsummernight's Dream" I have seen. We particularly liked Puck and Bottom. Not wishing to be unfair however, it was really a wonderful ensemble cast, everybody being perfectly cast and very obviously enjoying themselves a lot. I believe the roaring laughter from the audience throughout and the standing ovations at the end speak very eloquently for themselves. Too bad that schedules and the geographic situation prevent me from seeing this entertaining and refreshing production again. Good luck and best wishes!
Regards,
Dimitrios Papatheodorou
papatheodorou@gmx.de

We went to see the

We went to see the performance last night in Brighton in the open-air (my daughter is playing the part of Puck in her grammar school production in July).
It was quite simply the best production of MSND I have seen - and I have seen a few (and have acted in it as well).
Cleverly set in the 1920's the 8 actors are brilliantly cast, wonderfully comic but suitably distresed and dejected when required.
The total professionalism of the cast and crew shines through at every instant - they seemed to have have enjoyed every minute as much as the audience.
Our first family visit to a Globe show - and definitely not our last.