William Shakespeare's

A Midsummer Night's Dream

At the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium

January 22 and 23, 2010 at 8:00 PM

Fairies, lovers, and a hilarious "play within a play" performed by a group of absurd tradesmen.

A Midsummer Night's Dream has always been an audience favourite because of its comedic scenes.  Shakespeare skillfully combined all the elements of comedy in this play:  the broad comedy of the workmen, the buffoonery of Bottom, the trickery of the fairies, the absurd behaviour of the lovers when the "love potion" gets into the wrong characters' eyes, and the final scenes when justice prevails and all are happy. The language is beautiful without ever being wordy or obscure. 

SYNOPSIS

As the play opens, Theseus, Duke of Athens, is about to wed Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, whom he has just defeated in war.  He must shift from being a conqueror to a lover, and does so by holding an elaborate wedding.  A group of local tradesmen are selected to perform a play as part of the celebration.

Immediately Theseus must deal with a crisis.  Egeus complains that his daughter, Hermia, refuses to marry Demetrius, the young man to whom he has given consent to marry Hermia.  Hermia instead wants to marry Lysander.  Egeus claims his right as a father - to put Hermia to death if she refuses to marry Demetrius.  Theseus agrees that Hermia must obey her father.  He decrees that if she refuses she has only two choices - make a vow of perpetual chastity and become a nun or be put to death.

Hermia and Lysander concoct a plan to flee into the nearby forest, out of range of the laws of Athens.  They confide in Hermia's friend Helena.  It seems that Demetrius previously wooed Helena, and she is now head over heels in love with him.  Helena decides to tell Demetrius about the plans, hoping that Demetrius will be grateful and turn back to her.

Meanwhile, in the forest, there is a quarrel between Oberon, the Fairy King, and Titania, his consort.  They are quarrelling over the right to a boy whom Titania has in her care and whom Oberon wants to be part of his retinue.  Oberon calls his henchman, Puck, to help him humble Titania by putting a love potion in her eyes to force her to fall in love with some "hideous" thing and hence humble her.

The workmen also head into the forest - to rehearse their play away from the eyes of everyone in Athens.  Puck stumbles upon them as well as the lovers and decides to engineer his own version of justice by casting a number of spells.  Hilarity ensues.

Eventually all is put right, three weddings are solemnized, and the play (Pyramus and Thisbe) is performed.  A Midsummer Night's Dream ends with a statement about delusion and love, echoing the line, "What fools these mortals be."  The folly of mankind was a favourite theme of Shakespeare and his time, never so elegantly presented as in A Midsummer Night's Dream.  It is a superb treat, especially when we are far from midsummer in the throes of January.  Don't miss it!!

Suitable for all ages.  Tickets are available by calling 728-9510.

REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

Please consult the section numbers at the bottom first to determine which sections you are in.  Then mark those sections on the rehearsal schedule.  NOTE THAT THE SECTION NUMBERS ARE NOT IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY APPEAR IN THE PLAY.   Remember that the rehearsal schedule is subject to change.  Check your email regularly for notifications of rehearsal changes.