John Caird Production 1989

Act 1 Scene 1

Hermia I would my father look'd but with my eyes.

Theseus Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.

Egeus (left) brings his daughter Hermia to Theseus, Duke of Athens. He is angry that she won't marry Demetrius, who he has chosen for her; instead she prefers Lysander.

In this production, the court set was constructed from draped white fabric. The Athenian men dressed in dinner suits while the women wore formal white dresses. In this photograph, Lysander (on the right) has a collection of things at his feet - these are various items he's given Hermia which Egeus lists: 'bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits, / Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats...'

Left to right: Russell Enoch as Egeus, Sarah Crowden as Helena, John Carlisle as Theseus, Paul Lacoux as Demetrius, Amanda Bellamy as Hermia, Stephen Simms as Lysander.

Photo: Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Act 2 Scene 1

Oberon Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again
Ere the leviathan can swim a league.

Puck I'll put a girdle round about the earth
In forty minutes.

Puck (Richard McCabe) with his master, Oberon (John Carlisle), the King of the Fairies. In this production, the roles of Oberon and Theseus were doubled (and those of Titania and Hippolyta).

Photo: Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Act 3 Scene 2

Helena O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd! / She was a vixen when she went to school; / And though she be but little, she is fierce.

Demetrius and Lysander restrain Hermia by sitting on her as she gets increasingly angry with Helena. In this production, the forest set resembled a junkyard - behind the actors in this photo, a broken grand piano lies among the junk.

Left to right: Paul Lacoux as Demetrius, Amanda Bellamy as Hermia, Stephen Simms as Lysander and Sarah Crowden as Helena.

Photo: Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Act 3 Scene 1

Titania I do love thee: therefore, go with me; / I'll give thee fairies to attend on thee,

In the metal bedstead which formed her bower, Titania (Clare Higgins) introduces Bottom (David Troughton) to her fairies. In this production, the fairy attendants were played by children.

Photo: Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Act 3 Scene 1

Titania Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.

Titania (Clare Higgins) embraces Bottom (David Troughton) in her bower, which in this production took the form of a metal-framed bed.

Photo: Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Act 4 Scene 1

Theseus I pray you all, stand up. / I know you two are rival enemies:
How comes this gentle concord in the world, / That hatred is so far from jealousy,
To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity?

The lovers, asleep on the forest floor, are woken up by Theseus. In this production, John Carlisle played both Theseus and Oberon.

Left to right: John Carlisle as Theseus, Sarah Crowden as Helena, Paul Lacoux as Demetrius, Stephen Simms as Lysander and Amanda Bellamy as Hermia.

Photo: Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Act 5 Scene 1

Quince If we offend, it is with our good will.

The mechanicals stage their play, 'Pyramus and Thisbe', beginning with a bungled prologue by Peter Quince.

Left to right: Quince (Paul Webster), Bottom/Pyramus (David Troughton), Flute/Thisbe (Graham Turner), Starveling/Moonshine (Dhobi Operei).

Photo: Joe Cocks Studio Collection © Shakespeare Birthplace Trust