Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Rep Theatre, Birmingham

★★★★★

Birmingham Rep’s new production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream breathes contemporary Brummie life into the mystical play of trickster fairies and humorous misdirection. In this romantic comedy, the love-struck teen, Hermia, is faced with a conundrum when her father promises her hand in marriage to Demetrius rather than the woman she loves, Lysandra. Faced with the options of death, living a lie or moving to a nunnery, she instead opts to flee into the enchanted forests where freedom from constraints awaits.

Starring Isabel Adomakoh Young as Hermia, Qasmin Mahmood as Demetrius, Charlotte Wallis as Helena and Evie Ward-Drummond as Lysandra, this complicated tangle of love and lust soon gets more complicated at the hands of the fairies who dwell in the forest.

This multi-role ensemble cast is stacked with talented local actors bringing the delightful sing-song lilt of Brummie accents (as well as other regional accents) to Shakespeare’s work in a way that makes it ever-more relatable.

Lottie Beck Johnson stars as Starveling & Cobweb, Adam Carver as Puck & Philostrate, Keiren Hamiton-Amos as Snug & Moth, Omar Malik as Bottom, Hannah McPake as Quince, Haydn Oakley as Thesueus & Oberon, James Tanton as Snout & Mustardseed, Ellena Vincent as Titania & Hippolyta, Andy Watkins as Egeus, and Lisa Zahra as Flute & Peaseblossom. The doubling of roles in this production is done with such brilliant intentionality that it allows many of the players and Athenians a duality that pairs our mundane realities with the mystical, magical fairy realm.

A vibrant, and beautifully queer re-imagining directed by The Rep’s Artistic Director, Joe Murphy and Deputy Artistic Director, Madeleine Kludje. A Midsummer Night’s Dream not only offers a gender-swapped celebration of Sapphic love in Hermia and Lysandra but also stars Cabaret sensation, Adam Carver (AKA Fatt Butcher) as the mischievously camp prankster fairy of folklore, Puck also known as Robin Goodfellow.

Those who know Adam Carver for their cabaret persona will be familiar with the ease with which they captivate an audience. This enticing stage presence they bring to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, inviting audiences into the joy and comedy of the play with witty lines woven into Shakespeare’s soliloquies. Even in scenes where they have no lines, it is hard not to be drawn to Carver when they are on stage, punctuating moments of humour with fan clacks, hand gestures and body language.

What’s more, Carver has created fantastic original music for the production that brings together elements of cabaret and club music alongside the folksy etherealness of their fairy character. The music not only allows Carver to showcase their vocals, turning soliloquies into songs, but also spotlights the vocals of co-stars, including a stand-out in Ellena Vincent.

A particularly powerful moment in the music is the final original song, which features backing vocals from the Full Fatt Sound Choir; their enchanting voices filling the stage and lifting the closing soliloquy. Carver’s original music is also joined in this production by popular songs including Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams which add to the fun and accessibility of the material.

A play of transformations both in script and in scenery, The Rep make great use of their vast staging. The colossal yet harsh concrete pillars of Athens soon shift into the beautiful floral greenery of the forest conjured by Set Designer Carl Davies.

A truly stunning production visually, Davies is also responsible for the costume design. This production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream sees Birmingham Rep Theatre return to their roots with modern dress Shakespeare, having hosted the earliest dated modern dress Shakespeare performances in 1923 (produced by Barry Jackson). Over a hundred years later, this tradition sees the Pyramus and Thisbe players in comically matching tracksuits and Bottom draws laugh after laugh in a spa robe.

It is the fairy costumes though that are perhaps the most complex and impressive pieces, patching and draping together scraps recycled from past productions at The Rep to create truly remarkable and otherworldly outfits. In fact, each time Puck returns to the stage they are dressed in a new feathered headpiece, or fabulous costume piece.

This production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream then has everything: exquisite visuals, upbeat musical moments, playful and captivating performances, and sharp comedy that is played up skilfully by the cast; in particular Omar Malik’s Bottom and Evie Ward-Drummond’s Lysandra are ripe for laughter.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream in all its comedic wit, intriguing folklore and enchanting fairy spirit has always been my personal favourite Shakespeare play. This production by Birmingham Rep, however, stands out among the best versions for its celebration of queerness, its smart relatable casting, and its joyful energy. If you’ve ever thought Shakespeare isn’t for you, this production might well change your mind.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream plays at The Rep, Birmingham until Sunday 24^th May. 5000 tickets have been made available at £5 each for under 25s.

This review was written following a press invite to the production.