Review of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (Bridge Theatre, 2025): “Puck-tilious immersive reimagining leads to kick-ass performance”

The venue hosts Nicholas Hytner’s second Shakespearean production of the seasons — bringing back one of the Bard’s most popular comedies through a modernized take and atmospheric approach. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show to let us know if its revival of the magical forest comes across as wooden.

I’ve found it difficult to laugh every time I’ve watched a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In my defense, my first interaction with the play was so appalling that I even refused to write a review of it. It was an act of kindness coming out of the now-gone goodness of my heart — but trust me when I say there was some unadulterated loathing.

Things have improved ever since, as much as that horrendous event continues to haunt me to this day. Funnily enough, it was the same plus-one that accompanied me to that nightmare of a performance whom I chose to be my partner in crime as I ventured back to the Bridge Theatre for a reimagined immersive version of the Bard’s whimsical comedy.

Those who are familiar with both the venue and the work of its Artistic Director, Nicholas Hytner, surely know about the possibilities of the space, too. If that’s the case, you’ll be pleased to know that none of them go unexploited — and even more delighted by the fact that they all have a purpose within the narrative instead of being brought just for the sake of spectacle over spectacle.

Audiences will only have to bear with a not-too-promising preshow (featuring a plain-clothed choir moving in circles as they repeat the same chanting ad nauseam) before the actual magic unravels. And when it does, the spell will go on, untarnished and unbroken, until the very end.

From the place’s brand rising and sinking platforms, as they create the story’s different ambiances, to new acrobatic numbers accompanied by some simple illusions and flying props, the entire concoction works like a dream (no pun intended). Don’t expect big trees, untrimmed bushes (well, maybe if you look deep enough), or any monumental scenery — you will find nothing of the sort. Yet, that absence doesn’t halt the staging from still flaunting a jaw-dropping factor — all the time, brought forward by the flawless fluidity of its execution.

The site’s ever-changing nature, added to the excellent timing and showmanship of the cast, is the only necessary ingredient to make the whole mixture explode — in the best possible sense. Hytner boasts his artistic sensitivity and understanding of what entertainment calls for with superb prowess.

The respect and appreciation for the original text pours through every scene. However, that doesn’t prevent him from adding some modernizing touches (most of them, reduced to some passing pop-culture comments) — which, further from profaning a classic, enhances its hilarity and presents itself as an utter tour de force in terms of theatrical amusement. If you don’t roar from start to finish, you’re probably more of an ass than Nick Bottom ever gets to be.

The company’s extraordinary dexterity with Shakespeare’s lines is the final gear in the production’s impeccable machinery. The attention and meaning put into every single word are as intoxicating in form as they are effective from a recounting perspective. Every rendition fills the room with the most exquisite chemistry and rapport. And the unforced naturalness they handle the material with is nothing short of galvanizing.

Among them, the highest praise goes to David Moorst, whose dry-humour-based portrayal of the playfully mischievous Puck becomes the ultimate winner of the night, along with Emmanuel Akwafo’s hysterically camp interpretation of Bottom. Furthermore, JJ Reid and Susannah Fielding make another standout appearance in the roles of Oberon/Theseus and Titania/Hippolyta — both oozing great flair in their delivery while also brandishing a distinctive comedy bone.

I love to be proven wrong — it’s a shame it still hasn’t happened, though. But as for what my liking of this piece concerns, I must admit that not only have I thoroughly enjoyed this latest production — it has made me a fan of the piece. A cobweb of titanic performances, peaseblossom-delicate stunts, and cupid-flowered storytelling, the Bridge Theatre has come up with a version that, much like its author’s endeavours, could easily remembered as one of the few which was not of an age, but for all time. So, good night unto you all.

All pictures credit to Manuel Harlan.

A Midsummer’s Night Dream plays at London’s Bridge Theatre until 20 August. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara