A Midsummer Night's Dream (I) (TV 1981)

Director:

Elijah Moshinsky

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Stars:

Estelle Kohler, Nigel Davenport, Hugh Quarshie

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Estelle Kohler	...	Hippolyta
Nigel Davenport	...	Theseus
Hugh Quarshie	...	Philostrate
Geoffrey Lumsden	...	Egeus
Pippa Guard	...	Hermia
Nicky Henson	...	Demetrius
Robert Lindsay	...	Lysander
Cherith Mellor	...	Helena
Geoffrey Palmer	...	Quince
Brian Glover	...	Bottom
John Fowler	...	Flute
Don Estelle	...	Starveling
Nat Jackley	...	Snout
Ray Mort	...	Snug
Phil Daniels	...	Puck

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

shakespeare's a midsummer night's dream | mischievousness | fickleness | fickle man | based on play

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 1981 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Time-Life Television Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min 112 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The second televised production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with Helen Mirren in the cast, although this time in a different role (Titania). In the 1968 production, which was released to movie theatres in Europe, but premiered in the U.S. on CBS-TV, Ms. Mirren played Hermia.

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Connections

Version of A Midsummer Night's Dream (1947)

User Reviews

Elijah Moshinsky's A Midsummer Night's Dream

As many would know, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" has three separate plot threads, concerning the lovers, the fairy king and queen, and the Athenian worksmen. In this BBC production directed by Elijah Moshinsky, two of them work, one doesn't.

The rustics, like one reviewer says, just ain't funny. Brian Glover is disappointing as Bottom. He is totally miscast, as is Geoffrey Palmer's Quince. Also, Nigel Davenport's Theseus is too old.

Luckily, the females in the film make a splendid team, and the lovers' scenes work very well. It is enough to cancel out the disappointment concerning Bottom and his co-workers' subplot. Plaudits go especially to Helen Mirren's Titania and Cherith Mellor's Helena.

Elijah Moshinsky emphasizes the dark and ominous side of the play, with minimal lighting, and music by child fairies always lightening the mood.

All in all, this 1981 BBC production (in the Complete BBC Shakespeare series) is one worth catching.