Details

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. Co-produced with 14 amateur companies from every nation and region of the UK, opens in Stratford, before embarking on a nationwide tour. The production opens in Stratford-upon-Avon and will tour to all nations and regions of the UK with the same professional company. In each region, Bottom and the mechanicals will be played by a local amateur group, cast and trained by the RSC, in collaboration with 13 partner theatres. Titania's fairy train will be played by local school children in every location. A Midsummer Night's Dream returns to Stratford for Midsummer, when all 14 amateur companies will have an opportunity to play on the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage.

Cast/Performers

Ayesha Dharker (Titania), Jamie Cameron (Fairy), Lila Clements (Fairy), Lucy Ellinson (Puck), Aimee Gray (Fairy), Peter Hamilton Dyer (Egeus), Laura Harding (Hippolyta), Jack Holden (Lysander), Chris Nayak (Demetrius), Mercy Ojelade (Hermia), Chu Omambala (Oberon), Sam Redford (Theseus), Laura Riseborough (Helena), Isaac Ssebandeke (First Fairy), Alex Tomkins (Fairy), Jon Trenchard (Philostrate)

Creatives/Company

Author: Shakespeare
Company: Royal Shakespeare Company
Director(s): Erica Whyman, Sian Williams (movement director)
Design: Tom Piper
Lighting: Charles Balfour
Music: Sam Kenyon
Sound: Andrew Franks