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Midsummer Nights Dream - Greasepaint and Stage Lights - Theatre Radio Show

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Midsummer Nights Dream

Midsummer Nights Dream
Bridge Theatre
Review Complete
“Lulled in flowers with dances and delight” has never been taken at such face value.”
16 July 2025

Set:
The in-the-round stage spares no effort in immersion. With a staging layout that changes with every scene, set quite literally arrives from above and underneath you as if you are in the same world as the performers. The theatre is covered in quaint fairy lights, as well as functional aerial silks and set-pieces covered head to toe in climbing vegetation.

Plot:
Hermia and Lysander, in their desperation to be together, flee into the forest to be secretly wed. Having been promised to Hermia, Demetrius hears of this and immediately follows in pursuit of the runaway couple, with his smitten yet unwelcome friend, Helena, trailing hopelessly behind. Meanwhile, a fairy King and Queen’s quarrels wind up being taken out on the Athenian couples, as well as slightly complicating the rehearsal of a local group of players.

Review:
While the course of true love never did run smooth, I’d say our evening at A Midsummer Night’s Dream went off perfectly and without a snag. The Bridge Theatre always takes immersion to the next level by not only putting their blood, sweat and tears into the auditorium, but decking out the entirety of the building also. From the moment you walk in you are greeted with colours, flowers, and floral crowns, there are themed drinks and plenty of beautiful photo opportunities and that is before you even enter the performance space.



Whether you are in love or not, this play will certainly make you feel drunk on it. It was an utter celebration of passion, magic, and the natural world. Being immersed with the rest of the standing audience, the joy was completely palpable; I saw an elderly couple crying with laughter, a starry-eyed group of students who didn’t look away once, and a rather dower Irishman even managed to crack a smile or two. But I digress, I have a pet-peeve for Shakespeare productions that engineer so much of a contemporary agenda, that they leave the play’s original integrity being dragged by the heels.



I am happy to say that this particular production was true to its core all the while putting its own refreshed, Nicholas Hytner spin on it. Given that Robert Sterne, one of the UK’s top Casting Directors, was responsible for said cast, excellence was no surprise; the entire company were perfect in their respective roles. I particularly loved the characters of Oberon (played by JJ Feild) and Titania (played by Susannah Fielding) for their complete believability in being a feisty yet passionate couple, as well as Nick Bottom (played by Emmanuel Akwafo) for expertly walking the razor’s edge of being foolish but never stupid.



I will come clean and say that I always thought Helena to be a bit of a wet blanket; she betrays her friend by warning others that she plans to run away, and shamelessly follows a man into a forest who has told her time again that he has absolutely no interest in her. This was until I saw Lily Simpkiss’ portrayal of the character, and all of a sudden she became my favourite. Simpkiss made Helena come to life in a way I have never seen. She was painfully relatable at the worst of times and utterly adorable at her best. Nina Cassels who played Hermia was Helena’s polar opposite, which not only really helped to differentiate the two as individuals but added so much comedic value for the more heated scenes. Demetrius and Lysander (played by Paul Adeyefa and Dominic Semwanga, respectively) were charming, playful and rather sassy. While they have their ugly moments as characters, they were played with an almost toddler-like immaturity to make said moments feel far more light-hearted as opposed to malicious.

The decision to swap most of Oberon and Titania’s dialogue was new, though fit into the liberalised merriment like a pocket-square in a blazer. Instead of Titania being awoken and subsequently entranced by the asinine Nick Bottom, it is Oberon. Instead of Oberon entrusting Puck to do his Athenian bidding, it is Titania. I personally found that this made the ensuing entanglement with Bottom even more farcical, and put an assertive hue over Titania’s temperament that I really loved.



I could sing this show’s praises till the cows came home but I would genuinely rather you experience its joy for yourselves. With acrobats and ethereal musical numbers, this show really does cover all bases. Our tickets said ‘promenading’, which is exactly what we did. If standing, you will be constantly moving, turning in all sorts of directions and of course, promenading around the theatre with the rest of the frolicking cast. With its vibrancy and gaiety, A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Bridge Theatre curates the perfect backdrop for falling in love. If you are able to stand for its duration, I can promise you the most wondrous experience, but even a seated viewing of this performance will still prove unforgettable to anyone with even an ounce of whimsy in their souls. I cannot recommend this play highly enough, and I thank the Bridge Theatre for being so consistent in always hosting truly impactful productions.
 
Reviewer:  Claudia Lynch

Photography: Manuel Harlen

We are Gifted tickets so that in return we may give an honest review. All comments are those of the reviewer and theirs alone.
Greasepaint and Stage Lights

Email: musicals@btinternet.com
website: www.greasepaintandstagelights.co.uk
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