Midsummer Night Dream
Dates of performance
6 JANUARY - 18 FEBUARY 1995
Overview
In love, do we obey the wishes of our parents, abide by the law, or follow our hearts? A tale set in a forest where inhibitions are relaxed and true feelings revealed in all their confusion.
Synopsis
Theseus, Duke of Athens, is preparing his wedding to Hippolyta, a captured foreign queen.
Old Egeus bursts in furious because his daughter Hermia will not marry Demetrius, a young man he has chosen for her. Hermia prefers Lysander and threatened with punishment of death the two agree to elope into the wood.
Helena trying hopelessly to win Demetrius’s love tells him of the plan they follow…
Quince the carpenter, Bottom the Weaver and the other workmen also agree to meet in the wood to rehearse their play for the Duke’s wedding.
In the dream-forest Oberon, King of the fairies quarrels with Titania because she will not give him a little Indian page boy. To punish her Oberon orders Puck to find a magic flower juice, which squeezed into his eyes of sleepers will make them fall in love wit the first being they see on waking up. Sorry for Helena, Oberon order Puck also to sprinkle the juice in Demetrius’ eye, but puck mistakes and pours it into Lysander’s eye instead….Confusion follows! Puck tries to put things right but Helena ends up with 2 admirers and cannot believe it, while Hermia cannot understand why she has been abandoned.
Oberon pours the juice upon the sleeping Titania who wakes to love Bottom, transformed by Puck into a donkey!
Satisfied with his tricks, Oberon lifts the spells and the lovers are brought together. Egeus is shocked to find they have spent the night in the wood! The Duke however softens and agrees that each shall wed their true love.
After the wedding Bottom and his friends perform the play.
Oberon and the fairies bless the three couples
Cast List
| THESEUS | Duke of Athens | ANTHONY BISHOP |
| HIPPOLYTA | Betrothed to Lysander | MICHELLE SCOTT |
| PHILOSTRATE | Master of the revels to Theseus | DEIDRE WOLHUTER |
| EGEUS | Father to Hermia | JAY HEALE |
| HERMIA | Daughter of Egeus | ANTHEA THOMPSON |
| LYSANDER | In love with Hermia | NICHOLAS BORAINE |
| DEMETRIUS | In love with Hermia | NICHOLAS ASHBY |
| HELENA | In love with Demetrius | JANA VAN NIEKERK |
| PETER QUINCE | A carpenter | DAVID ALCOCK |
| NICK BOTTOM | A Weaver | JONATHAN PIENAAR |
| FRANCIS FLUTE | A bellows mendor | PAUL WARWICK GRIFFIN |
| TOM SNOUT | A tinker | NKOSINATHI GQOTSO |
| SNUG | A joiner | ANDRE SAMUELS |
| ROBIN STARVELING | A tailor | NEELS COETZEE |
| PUCK | Known also as Robin Goodfellow | PETER BUTLER |
| PEASEBLOSSOM | Fairy | KARIN VEN DER LAAG |
| OBERON | King of the fairies | SEAN TAYLOR |
| TITANIA | Queen of the fairies | MARY DREYER |
| COBWEB | Fairy | DEIDRE WOLHUTER |
| MOTH | Fairy | DAID NISSEN |
| MUSTARDSEED | Fairy | EOUDIA SAMSON |
Creative List
| STAGE DIRECTOR | PATRICK CURTIS |
| ACTING STAGE DIRECTOR | HOWARD SIMMS |
| STAGE MANAGER | GLEN MELVILLE |
| ASSISTNAT STAGE MANAGERS | PAUL SMITH, KARIN VAN DER LAAG & CHRIS BAATJIES |
| COSTUMES | PETER CAZALET |
| SOUND OPERATOR | BRANDON BUNYAN |
| LIGHTING OPERATOR | GLEN MELVILL |
| MUSIC | PETER LOUIS VAN DIJK |
| WARDROBE CO-ORDINATOR | JULIE ANN TINDILL |
| WIG MASTER | LAURENCE HUCKSTEPP |
| WIG AND MAKE-UP CO-ORDINATOR | SANDRA FOURIE |
| PHOTOGRAPHY | ANTON GELDENHUYS |
| FOH MANAGER | ROLAND PEAD |
