Peter Brook Production 1970

Act 1 Scene 1

Egeus   Full of vexation come I, with complaint against my child, my daughter Hermia.

The court of Athens. Theseus and Hippolyta, wearing robes, sit near the front of the stage while Egeus presents Hermia to the court, with Demetrius (left) and Lysander alongside. The fairies are present, standing around the balcony, but they are invisible to the court. In this production, the roles of Theseus and Hippolyta were doubled with Oberon and Titania.

Photo by Reg Wilson shows (left to right): Alan Howard as Theseus, Ben Kingsley as Demetrius, Mary Rutherford as Hermia (kneeling), Philip Locke as Egeus, Christopher Gable as Lysander and Sara Kestelman as Hippolyta

The Thos F. and Mig Holte Photographic Collection. Copyright Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Act 2 Scene 2

Oberon What thou seest when thou dost wake, / Do it for thy true-love take

Oberon (Alan Howard, left) casts a spell while Puck (John Kane, right), drops magic potion into the eyes of Titania (Sarah Kestelman).

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC

Act 3 Scene 1

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

In her bower, Titania entertains Bottom who has been transformed by Oberon to have the head of an ass. The lovers are sleeping, suspended above the stage on swings.

Photograph by Reg Wilson shows Mary Rutherford as Hermia, Christopher Gable as Lysander, Frances De La Tour as Helena, Ben Kingsley as Demetrius, Sara Kestelman as Titania, David Waller as Bottom and Ralph Cotterill, John York, Hugh Keays Byrne, and Celia Quicke as the Fairies © RSC

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.

Lysander (Christopher Gable, right) and Demetrius (Ben Kingsley, blue shirt) are apparently now both fighting for Helena's attention instead of Hermia's. Hermia (Mary Rutherford, left) is shocked and upset, growing increasingly angry with Helena (right, Frances de la Tour) who taunts her.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC

Act 3 Scene 1

Snout Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?
Starveling I fear it, I promise you.

The Mechanicals rehearse surrounded by the fairies, who are invisible to them. In this photo, one of the fairies is hiding in a bush, represented in this production by a ball of wire.

Photo by Reg Wilson shows (left to right) Celia Quick as Fairy (holding barbed wire ball), Barry Stanton as Snug, Ralph Cotterill as Fairy (lying on floor), Hugh Keays Byrne as Fairy holding a branch, Terrence Hardiman as Starveling (holding lantern), David Waller as Bottom (back turned), Norman Rodway as Snout, John York as Fairy, and Philip Locke as Quince © RSC

Act 4 Scene 1

Titania So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle / Gently entwist; the female ivy so / Enrings the barky fingers of the elm. / O, how I love thee! how I dote on thee!

Titania (Sara Kestelman) swoons in the arms of Bottom (David Waller) before they both fall asleep in her bower. To represent the transformation of Bottom in this production, he wore a hat with donkey ears and a black nose.

Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC

Act 5 Scene 1

Oberon Hand in hand, with fairy grace, will we sing, and bless this place.

The fairies bless the court and the marriages. In this production, the actors moved into the auditorium, shaking hands with the audience as a literal interpretation of Puck's words, 'Give me your hands'.

Photo by Reg Wilson shows Alan Howard as Theseus, Philip Locke as Egeus, Sara Kestelman as Hippolyta, John Kane as Philostrate, Christopher Gable as Lysander, Frances De La Tour as Helena, and Ben Kingsley as Demetrius © RSC