October 2005 – A Midsummer Night’s Dream



Play Name
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Playwright
William Shakespeare
Performance Start Date
Wednesday, 12 October, 2005
Performance End Date
Saturday 15 October 2005
Location:
Harrogate Theatre
Director:
Chris Rawson
Cast
  • Theseus/Oberon ..... Dermot Hill
  • Hippolyta/Titania .... Rachel Conyers
  • Egeus .................... Gavin Smith
  • Hermia .................. Kelly Nevett
  • Lysander ............... Michael Garside
  • Demetrius ............. Barry Johnson
  • Helena .................. Tammie Romatowski
  • Philostrate ....... .... Anna Chambers
  • Puck ..................... Stuart Kellett
  • Peaseblossom .......... Matthew Johnson
  • Cobweb ................. Sue Rawson
  • Moth ........................ Kate Antram
  • Peter Quince .... ...... Richard Naylor
  • Nick Bottom ............ Paul Dunstan
  • Francis Flute .......... Stuart Jarman
  • Tom Snout .............. David Wilson
  • Snug ........................ Gavin Smith
  • Robin Starveling ........ Joanne Davies
  • Fairy ..................... Gill McVey
  • Fairy ..................... Claire Baines
  • Starveling's Dog ........ Tinker
Synopsis

The play begins with celebrations to mark the forthcoming marriage of Theseus, Duke of Athens and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Into the court comes Egeus with his rebellious daughter Hermia, who is refusing to marry Demetrius, preferring the love of Lysander. The Duke orders Hermia to obey her father or, according to Athenian law, face death or enter a convent. Hermia and Lysander decide to elope, but first they confide their plan to their friend Helena. She is in love with Demetrius and, hoping to win his affection, tells him of the plan, and all four lovers steal away into the forest. In the same forest is a group of tradesmen - Rude Mechanicals - planning to perforum a play to celebrate the Duke's wedding. Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the Fairies, have fallen out over Titania's refusal to hand over her boy page to Oberon. In anger Oberon orders Puck to find a magic plant, the juice of which squeezed into Titania's eyes makes her fall hopelessly in love with one of the Rude Mechanicals, Bottom, the weaver, who has been transformed into an ass by Puck. Puck is then supposed to use the same magic juice on Demetrius to make him fall in love with Helena, but mistakenly used it on Lysander who promptly rejects Hermia and falls in love with Helena. Eventually all the spells are lifted, the human lovers and Titania and Oberon are all happily reconciled and the tradesmen get to perform their play of Pyramus and Thisbe at the marriage celebrations.

Photographs