A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow

9-15 Jan

The great playwright’s Athenian comedy is performed in a unique and hilarious manner. A story of love and lust fuelled by emotion changing flowers sets a surreal storyline, blended with the classical location of Greece. Director Ali de Souza bravely decided to characterise multiple dreamy scenes based on 1920’s Britain which works superbly thanks to fabulous set and sound design.

Ali De Souza

The character Helena, an Athenian hopelessly in love with Demetrius is played by the star of the show Elizabeth Bouckley. Our first glimpse of her is when she bursts on the stage in defined a comedic movement draped in an unflattering 1920’s dress which is greeted with audience laughter. We see Bouckley’s impressive range when a scene of love, confusion and poison are presented wonderfully shortly after the interval.

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ has a play within the play, in this incarnation,  Nick Bottom, a weaver, stars in a tragic love story performed in an private aristocratic home. Bottom is played by Laurie Scott who gives a surreal comedy-styled performance and makes a sterling job of it. He plays the weaver with a Yorkshire twanged voice with brilliantly funny facial expressions and jitters. All senses of humour will be tickled at least once in this powerful production. 5 STARS

Reviewer : Thomas Boglett