TABLE OF CONTENTS

Jump directly to the video for any scene in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

ADDITIONAL SCENE INFORMATION

Included here is a brief audio introduction to each scene in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as a description of the action of the scene

Act 1 Scene 1

Theseus eagerly awaits his wedding to Hippolyta. Egeus arrives with his daughter Hermia and two suitors: Demetrius and Lysander. Hermia is loved by both, and Egeus wants her to marry Demetrius. Hermia, however, is in love with Lysander, and Egeus believes that Lysander has tricked his daughter into loving him. Egeus demands his right as a father to have Hermia killed if she does not wed Demetrius. Theseus gives Hermia until his wedding to make her choice, which he reduces to Demetrius or a nunnery (rather than death). Once alone, Hermia and Lysander decide to run away and wed in secret, a plan they share with Helena when she arrives moments later. Helena is in love with Demetrius, and plans to tell him of the clandestine marriage in an attempt to regain Demetrius’ attention.

Act 1 Scene 2

A group of workmen meet at the house of Peter Quince, determined to put on a play in honour of Theseus’ wedding. Quince announces that they will be performing “The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe” and casts the play on the spot. Bottom is rebuffed when he attempts to recast the play, and Quince sends everyone off to learn their lines before the following night’s rehearsal in the woods near Athens.

Act 2 Scene 1

A vicious fight between the fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania, is laid out and it is revealed to be over a changeling boy, currently in Titania’s possession and coveted by Oberon. Once Titania leaves, Oberon tasks Puck with finding the love-in-idleness flower so that he can squeeze its juice into her eye to make her fall in love with the first thing she sees when she awakes. While Puck searches for the flower, Oberon witnesses Helena’s pleas for Demetrius’ affections, and Demetrius’ cruel rejection of her. Oberon tasks Puck with giving Demetrius a dose of the juice as well, but only describes him as having Athenian garments on.

Act 2 Scene 2

Oberon squeezes the love juice into Titania’s eye. Lysander and Hermia arrive and decide to sleep, at which point Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and gives him the love juice as well. Demetrius and Helena then enter, and Demetrius quickly leaves, at which point Lysander awakes, sees Helena, and immediately falls in love with her. Confused and offended, Helena runs away and is pursued by Lysander. When Hermia awakes alone, she sets off to find her absent love.

Act 3 Scene 1

As the mechanicals arrive to rehearse their play, Puck happens upon them and decides to turn Bottom’s head into a donkey’s head, which scares off his fellow “actors”. Titania awakes, sees Bottom, and falls in love with him, demanding that her fairies grant his every wish.

Act 3 Scene 2

Puck tells Oberon what has become of Titania, and reports of his seemingly successful run-in with the Athenian lovers. Demetrius and Hermia enter, with Hermia demanding to know where Lysander is. When Demetrius cannot satisfy her she storms off, and Oberton realizes Puck’s mistake. He then sends Puck off to find Helena while he himself applies the love juice to Demetrius, now asleep. Helena enters, followed by a love-sick Lysander, and is spotted by Demetrius, who also falls instantly in love with her. Helena believes that both men are making fun of her, and when Hermia enters, Helena assumes that Hermia is involved in the mocking, too. Lysander is pulled in three directions: he wants to be with Helena, Demetrius wants to fight him for Helena and Hermia just wants him back. Helena becomes convinced that Hermia has turned on her, joining in the games she believes Lysander and Demetrius are playing. Eventually all four scatter in order to fight and Oberon admonishes Puck for allowing this to happen. He demands that Puck get all four back, put them to sleep, and then fix the problem.

Act 4 Scene 1

Bottom and Titania are in love, and decide to sleep in each others’ arms. Oberon, having won the changeling from Titania, tells Puck to undo the love spell and to change Bottom’s head back to a human head. The next morning, Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus and a hunting party stumble upon the slumbering lovers. Demetrius reveals that he no longer loves Hermia, and Theseus insists that both pairs of lovers wed on the same day as he and Hippolyta. Once they have all gone, Bottom awakes and goes in search of his troupe.

Act 4 Scene 2

Bottom reunites with his troupe and the group leaves to present their play for the royal couple.

Act 5 Scene 1

Theseus is eager for entertainment now that his wedding is complete. He chooses the Mechanicals’ retelling of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe from a list of possible entertainments provided by Philostrate (and quite against Philostrate’s advice). The play is performed, with several interjections from the audience. Both lead players act out their death scenes and Theseus requests that they skip their epilogue and go straight to their Bergamask dance. Once concluded, the members of court retire for the night and the fairies enter to bless the house on this wedding night.