A Midsummer Night’s Dream Review at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre London

A Midsummer Night’s Dreamis Regent Park Open Air Theatre’s most performed production. It makes you wonder, ‘How can one theatre put on a show almost 50 different times since 1933 and still make it unique?’ Well, trust me- they have done it once again. Packed full of action, there are fight scenes (in heels, may I add!), actor-musician fairies, and costumes to DIE for. This is perhaps a bold statement, but I may even go as far as to say that this version of Shakespeare’s Dream is one of the most captivating performances of the show I have ever witnessed!

Upon entering the theatre, I flicked through the program and was intrigued to find Director Atri Banerjee talking about their inclusion of sign language within the production after casting Deaf actor Nadeem Islam as ‘Bottom’. I have to say, I was curious! I had only ever seen productions with BSL interpreted shows, not shows using BSL within the acting itself. As a fully hearing person myself, I was excited to see how this would land – would those of us who don’t know much BSL still be able to follow? The answer is YES! 100%.
 

If anything, the addition of BSL amplified the whole experience. It was beautifully done, comical, and has the potential to completely change theatre for those who are hard of hearing. What I particularly enjoyed was the fact that it wasn’t added and brushed aside; it was well integrated within the action of the play. For example, towards the end of the first half, after Puck (Georgia Bruce) has mischievously turned Bottom into a donkey’s ‘ass’, Queen Titania (Jenny Rainsford) awakes to fall in love with him, but she can’t get his attention. ‘I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again’. It is only when she gets frustrated and begins to sign along with her words that Bottom’s head snaps up and he realises she is there. It was such a beautiful moment, one that is replicated throughout the rest of the show.

In terms of casting, Casting Director Jacob Sparrow deserves a huge round of applause- the choices for every single character were spot on. I want to say this is the first version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream I have seen where every character was likeable- normally as an audience we love to hate, but this production makes you love to love! Oberon (Olivier Huband) and Puck’s (Georgia Bruce) relationship was heartwarming and unexpected. Still scheming, still causing all that juicy drama we love so much, but they had a genuine connection and actually had a few audible ‘Awww’ moments from the audience. Mary Malone did a fantastic job as Helena; her comedy timing is second to none. And Jenny Rainsford– WOW. A multi-rolling phenomenon. Her Hippolyta just oozed casual status, and her swift change to Titania was captivating. In the first scene, we meet Titania. I was utterly transfixed by her powerful, intimidating energy- elevated entirely by the bands’ incredible underscore and soundscaping.

That’s another thing- the band. Where do I even start? The idea of making all the fairies musicians is ingenious. The music is also nothing like I expected- slightly rock-pop, very ethereal, and extremely magical. Musical Director Rachel Barnes and Composer Maimuna Memon have pulled it out of the bag yet again- the music was beautifully haunting and fit for purpose at every turn! Comprising 4 musicians, the band consisted of violin, cello, keyboard, and guitar; with heavenly vocals from all! I have to give another mention to Georgia Bruce here- her vocals are absolutely outstanding. Bruce’s song in the second half of the show is a complete work of art. The way she taunts Lysander (Misia Butler) and Demetrius (Terique Jarrett) through the mixture of song and text is so brilliantly thought out, and Sound Designer Joshua Pharo did such an incredible job mixing the two elements so that her voice reverberated around the theatre and kept us on the edge of our seats! That scene was quite possibly my favourite part of the show. Although that being said, a close second would be where all the major chaos unfolds between Hermia (Hiftu Quasem), Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius. The stagecraft in this scene is phenomenally done, with not a single actor dropping a beat- it is like an actor’s version of tennis; keeping the audience gripping the edge of their seat one second and doubling over in fits of laughter the second! Oberon and Puck are looking down on the action from the very top of the stage, with such intensity and focus, and none of this would be possible without the incredible set design from Naomi Dawson, and of course, the teamwork between the director and fight coordinator, Yarit Dor.

However, A Midsummer Night’s Dream would not be dreamy if it weren’t for our beloved Mechanicals! A band of misfits, these lovable characters were the perfect comic relief and made us all laugh out loud 24/7. The gender swap for Peter Quince was quite literally a perfect casting choice, with Harriet Gordon-Anderson making me believe Shakespeare had written the role with her in mind. I also really enjoyed the subtle modernisms which started being introduced through the mechanics- something that can be slightly hit or miss in a Shakespeare production. Snug (Neil D’Souza) was the most lovable lion during the ‘play within a play’ I have ever seen! And of course, Issam Al Ghussain had us all in hysterics during his version of Thisbe.

Evie Jones was another standout- she perfectly embodied what it means to be a modern day performer tackling Shakespeare. Her small (yet effective) under the breath comments had the audience cackling during both her character as Snout and the ‘Wall’. Due to her disability, Jones uses a walking aid, and at first, she had me wondering if this was an acting choice due to how perfectly fitting it was for her fantastic characterization of Snout. This is yet another beautiful example of Regents Park’s commitment of casting an actor not because of their disability, but regardless of it. The level of inclusion and advocacy is second to none.

Last but not least- Starveling! Dumile Sibanda has managed to make a seemingly smaller role feel like she is on stage CONSTANTLY! She is SO memorable, and has a unique ability to capture an audience’s attention with very little text- no easy feat. When the group of mechanicals open their ‘play within a play’, Bottom’s lines are given to Quince, and Nadeem Islam proceeds to perform the whole of the scene in BSL- with the rest of the mechanicals joining him. Such a fantastic way to adapt the scene in a way that makes sense for this production. I also particularly enjoyed the acapella nod to the 20th Century Fox Fanfare introduction- a hilarious nod to the present day.

The final song was absolutely brilliant- my hat goes off to movement director Anjali Mehra for her beautiful choreography. It is the only part of the show where the whole cast is together, all dancing and singing as one collective company- a very powerful moment, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I had a tear in my eye by the end of the show. A wonderful cast, crew, and creative team that clearly worked together to create something extraordinary. Overall, this show is a beautiful, funny, and brand-new take on the Shakespeare classic. If you have the chance to get down to Regents Park Open Air Theatre this summer season, I would highly recommend you do – you do not want to miss this!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream plays at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre until 18 July.

Where I Sat

I was sitting in seat L28, and had a fantastic view of A Midsummer Night’s Dream! The perks of being outdoors is there are no restrictive pillars, and plenty of leg room. Although the seats are quite close together, so be aware you may end up sharing your armrests.

Have You Seen A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

Have you experienced Atri Banerjee’s take on this riotous tale of love, transformation, and magic in the enchanting surroundings of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre? Add your review to SeatPlan and let everyone know what you thought. You’ll even earn points towards theatre vouchers if you add a seat photo!

Reviewed by Jessica Jaynefor SeatPlan, June 2026