A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most popular and enduring plays, evidenced by the fact that as this version becomes available for its limited run on YouTube, the Globe Theatre’s version of its 2013 production (recently reviewed by Terry MacTavish) is also still available on the same platform.

This production, directed by Nicholas Hytner, begins with a solemn group singing beautifully as Hippolyta (Gwendoline Christie) is brought in, framed in a glass box like a saint or a trophy. The box seems to float in through the audience, and this striking beginning gives us our first glimpses of the extremely clever and flexible staging, where sections of the floor rise and fall to create islands of space, around which the audience happily gathers. It is a treat to see the audience’s responses as the play begins, and their engagement and immersion in this world is plain to see throughout the production.

The women in the group that gathers (including Hippolyta) wear headscarves and plain dresses, evoking an echo of a community like Gloriavale, which gives extra force and relevance to the complaints of Egeus and Hermia. 

Awaiting Hipplolyta is Theseus (Oliver Chris), all arrogance and condescension, eyeing her hungrily and making it clear that he holds all of the power in this moment. The first hint of an alternate power source comes when Hippolyta presses her hand to the glass and gives Hermia power to protest against the marriage her father is trying to force her into. As Hermia, Isis Hainsworth shows wonderful clarity of thought and action in this section, and the silent responses of Lysander (Kit Young) are very affecting.

In fact, all the actors have great understanding and facility with the language, allowing them to respond beautifully in the moment. In his responses to the complaints of Egeus (Kevin McMonagle), Theseus is misogynistic and dictatorial, showing clearly that he will not allow any deviation from his beliefs. Hippolyta is forced to watch in silent agony, and this allows the stakes to be appropriately high in this first scene since we do believe that Hermia is in grave peril. This informs the decisions that Hermia and Lysander make, showing them to be understandable and necessary.

From the high stakes of the Athenian court, we are then taken to first meeting of the ‘mechanicals’. In their municipal boiler suits with their stacking chairs they could be any type of community group meeting to ‘fit a play’. Quince (Felicity Montagu) wrangles her players well, and all the characters she introduces are well-drawn individuals that we immediately warm to. Bottom (Hammed Animashaun) is the standout here and throughout the play, and the beautifully judged interjections and subtle audience interaction from the whole group make this scene an absolute delight to watch. 

Lighting (designed by Bruno Poet) and sound (designed by Paul Arditti) are very cleverly used to create different locations and bring focus to different characters as we then see Hermia, Lysander, Helena (Tessa Bonham Jones) and Demetrius (Paul Adeyefa) steal from their beds away into the woods. This establishes the strong design choice (production design by Bunny Christie) for the rest of the play with a variety of beds creating the very literal dream landscape that the characters move through. 

Titania and Oberon enter from beneath bedclothes in lovely moments of revelation, while Puck (David Moorst) is literally torn from Philostrate’s sombre clothing to be revealed as a punk rock-inspired spirit who is both physically and vocally mischievous. Bedsheets then become aerial silks which the fairy performers use with great skill, giving a subtle reference to Peter Brooks’ very famous circus-inspired production of the play. These fairies in their glittery and form-fitting costumes are a little like cabaret performers using aerial silks and four poster ends as dance poles while singing beautifully.

Hippolyta / Titania and Theseus / Oberon are routinely double cast in productions of this play, but Hytner takes this idea a few steps further, showing us that Titania, Oberon and Puck are literal alter-egos of the Athenian characters.  

As they break free of their confines and become much more vivid in look (costumes designed by Christina Cunningham) and action, Titania and Oberon now also swap their traditional roles. The lines usually spoken by Oberon are now delivered by Titania (and vice versa), making Titania the aggressor who blames Oberon for the conflict between them that leads to changes wrought on the natural world. This speech feels particularly relevant in our current circumstances and is delivered with passion by Christie. Her movement choice throughout this conflict seems quite stylized, which sometimes seems odd in contrast with Oliver Chris’ very truthful and emotionally grounded performance, but both actors are engaging. 

The pace of the action throughout the play is quick and secure as all the groups in the woods now begin to collide. Now it is Titania who sees the lovers lose their way, and this makes her concern for Helena more affecting as she responds to her treatment by Demetrius in the spirit of sisterhood. It is also Titania who plots to make Oberon fall in love with the first thing he sees, in order to teach him a lesson. 

All the actors seem completely at home in their immersive surroundings, and some of the most entertaining moments come from situations such as Puck’s inability to get through the audience when they get in his way. The interactions are funny and show quick wit and responses and provoke real genuine laughter in literal and screen audiences. The Mechanicals then elevate audience interaction to another level when their responses to a phone borrowed from an audience member steal the show. 

Bottom’s translation into an ass sparks Oberon’s magically fueled attraction and being in love allows Chris to use his facial expressions and physicality to great effect. Bottom’s interactions with the fairies are very funny and make us appreciate his joviality and good nature all the more. Overcome with their feelings Oberon and Bottom create a hilarious dance in Oberon’s huge bed which is totally in keeping with the world that’s been so clearly created. It’s very cool to see the audience dancing along and enjoying this lovely moment too. It’s all very joyous and silly and includes wonderful aerial work from the fairies to create an awesome, feel-good way to end the first half of the play.

The second half starts with the fairies providing entertainment again until Titania tells them to ‘jog on’. Puck behaves like a sullen and moody teenager when he is ordered to put right his mistakes with the lovers, leading to a very cool exit through a bed. 

All the misunderstandings and tricks now start to play out with extra mischief from Titania and Puck who can’t resist toying with the lovers, and extra naughtiness from Oberon and Bottom as they relax in a bubble bath. There is one extremely rude joke while Bottom is in the bath which is played superbly but does mean that this is quite an adult moment! 

As all the strands of the play are woven more closely together, Titania releases Oberon from his enchantment and we see the reconciliation between them go from grief to joy in the twinkle of an eye, fueled purely by Chris’ ability to speak volumes with his facial expressions. This is matched a little later by the new understanding between Theseus and Hippolyta when Theseus’ behavior changes markedly after he is reminded of his alter ego’s experience in the wood.

The final act of the play never fails to be a pleasure, and once again Hytner’s decisions bear fruit as we see the entertainment for the wedding feast chosen like the outcome of a talent show, and Oberon becoming the conciliator and supporter of the ‘Rude Mechanicals’ as they perform. 

There are echoes of Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’ in the wonderfully earnestly choreographed prologue to the play and there are many deft touches of metatheatricality within both plays, as mechanicals speak to their audience who in turn speak to us. It is all beautifully judged and provokes belly laughs from me throughout. There are so many gorgeous moments of silliness and innovation, and a wonderfully performed final speech from Flute / Thisbe (Jermaine Freeman) that utterly captures the unexpected grief of this moment.

The ‘bergomask’ performed at the end of the play is the start of a great party for the performers and audience that makes me long to be in that dancing, joyous audience alongside everyone.

This is an innovative and enlightening staging that allows its stars to shine brightly while shedding new light on aspects of a very well-known play. Theseus learns a great deal during the course of the play and this aspect works very well, especially when Oliver Chris is able to suggest so much with the smallest facial expression. As Bottom, Hammed Animashaun is utterly natural and charming stealing every moment he is in.

This is a very different staging to the Globe’s production [available till Monday 29 June, NZ time], but both showcase the wonder of Shakespeare’s writing and the flexibility of his work. Both versions give us wonderful experiences in completely different ways, and I feel very fortunate to have seen both.

Free on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel
(UK time) From 7pm on 25 June to 2 July (start no later that 4pm)
(NZ time) From 6am on 26 June to 3 July (start no later than 3am) 

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