1. Gregory Doran’s RSC production (2005)
By Rachel Meldrum

2. Theseus - Miles Richardson

Hippolyta - Brigitta Roy
The production opens with a duel between two warriors. They take their masks off to reveal themselves as Theseus and Hippolyta who announce that they will be married in four days time. This is the first of many references in the play to the moon. In this production, their marriage is a marriage of equals - Hippolyta is marrying Theseus of her own free will.

3. Hermia - Sinead Keenan
Theseus - Miles Richardson

Lysander - Trystan Gravelle (left)
Egeus - Tom Hodgkins (right)

4. Demetrius reacts angrily to Helena who has chased him into the forest
Demetrius reacts angrily to Helena who has chased him into the forest. Oberon is invisible to them.
Oberon - Joe Dixon (left)
Helena - Caitlin Mottram
Demetrius - Oscar Pearce (right)

5. Act 2, Scene 3The lovers fight in the forest

6. All the mechanicals sport Brummie accents, with Malcolm Storry a glorious, irksome Bottom and Paul Chahidi a laidback Quince who turns almost into a superhero during the Pyramus and Thisbe routine.
Bottom - Malcolm Storry
Snout - David Rogers
Snug - Edward Clayton

7. Thisbe/Flute - Jamie Ballard

Wall/Snout - David Rogers

Pyramus/Bottom - Malcolm Storry

8. Videos from this production
Videos of:
The last scene
Interview with Gregory Doran on who’s who and how he makes each lover distinct
Interview with Gregory Doran on comedy vs tragedy
Interviews about the fairy world
Interviews on the final scene:
Gregory Doran about how the forest changed them
Demetrius about how it was a dream
Demetrius about the ending
About Theseus

9. Reviews
“Gregory Doran, a director who pushes the boat out but never gets out of his depth.”
“This version of A Midsummer Night's Dream is clever, well-presented and highly enjoyable, although it doesn't quite make it into the "unmissable" category”
– British Theatre Guide, Steve Orme
“But for once I'd also like to mention some of the minor roles. Ryan Gage is extraordinary as Francis Flute, the bellows mender, a skinny, nervously grinning youth who suddenly discovers a radiant self-confidence in his female role as Thisbe, and unexpectedly makes the otherwise farcical performance by the mechanicals genuinely moving.” – The Telegraph, Charles Spencer
“It made me realise that puppetry presented pitfalls to the overzealous director; I thought the idea of Titania's changeling child as a puppet lovingly manipulated by fairies had merit, but in practice it failed to come off and looked a bit gimmicky.” – The Guardian, Lyn Gardener

10. Staging
Gregory Doran's production was presided over by an enormous full moon which travelled across the stage during the show, exerting its influence over mortal and immortal alike.
The modern-dress production began with a sword-fight between two warriors who revealed themselves to be a sparring Theseus and Hippolyta.
Sinister fairies attended on Oberon and Titania while the Changeling Boy, the cause of their quarrel, was represented by a life-sized Bunraku puppet.
Stephen Brimson-Lewis's forest set featured a giant U-shaped junk-heap and Bottom was wheeled around in a discarded supermarket trolley.

11. “A great mirror at the back of the stage reflects the audience themselves so that we seem to be simultaneously in the theatre and in the world of the play itself.” – The Guardian

12. “It makes a suitable framework for a production that is full of energy, invention and charm, but has yet to achieve transcendence.” – The Guardian, Michael Billington
Oberon squeezes the juice of a flower onto Titania's eyes as she sleeps in her bower.
“This simple set allowed for spectacular lighting to create environments: an overhead spherical moon moved gradually downstage throughout the first half, casting shadows of different shapes on the back wall as the night progressed.” – Peter Kirwan

13. Summary Mirror reflecting the audience
Opening sword battle between Hippolyta and Theseus
Modern dress
Brummie accents for the mechanicals