A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, London SE4 to 2nd September 2023. 4****: William Russell.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, London SE4 to 2nd September 2023.

4****: William Russell.

Conor Cook’s production of this much produced comedy is utterly beguiling. Performed by a cast of six, which has resulted in some trimming and much doubling or trebling of roles for the players, it is quite simply great fun. They even make the rude mechanicals, who can be hideously uncomic, amusing and Nicholas Southcott as Bottom when an Ass is very funny indeed. He turns into a bare chested butch leading man when they eventually get to perform the play about Piramus and Thisbe . He is also Demetrius. Jack Jacobs delivers a deliciously spry Peter Quince as well as playing Lysander and a stringed instrument of sort when the entire cast open and close the show with a song. Elizabeth Prideaux does a fine beanpole Hermia and a very glamorous Titania, Sally Sharp is a spirited Puck as well as Egea – a sex change there – and Snug, while Yvette Bruin is an upstanding Theseus, a wicked Oberon and also plays Flute, while Sadie Pepperell sparkles as Hermia and Starveling. The verse gets well spoken, the set is very pretty, the costume changing back stage must be chaos, but all seemed to go seamlessly. This Bear in the Air production directed with great invention by Conor Cookis as good an introduction to the Bard as could be and for those already acquainted proves totally charming. It shows that you don’t need the wonders of the last production I saw, a very good one at the Bridge which exploited that theatre’s resources to the full, for the play to exert its spell.

Cast

Yvette Bruin – Theseus, Oberon & Flute.

Jack Jacobs – Lysander & Peter Quince.

Sadie Pepperell – Hermia, Fairy & Starveling.

Elizabeth Prideaux – Hippolita, Titania, Helena & Snout.

Sally Sharp – Egea, Puck & Snout.

Nicholas Southcott – Demetrius & Bottom.

Creatives

Director , Musical director, Composer & Arranger – Conor Cook.

Costumes – Heather Simpkin.

Prop Making – Heather Simpkin & Chrissy Brooks.

Set Design & Build – Conor Cook & Heather Simpkin.

Production Photographs – Bear in the Air.