Business as usual at the Open Air Theatre.
The Dream is its signature play and normally one of the great pleasures of a summer in town.
Christopher Luscombe' s cool, pristine new interpretation does the job nicely.
As a production, it's fine, which means, with the natural advantages of this lovely venue on its side, that at times it is delightful.
In keeping with the play's Athenian location, the set is an amphitheatre.
It's a design which seems a little disconnected from the Edwardian world Luscombe has chosen for the Athenians' manners and costume, save that its classical symmetry and the brittle, brisk attitudes of the lovers combine to lend their comedy a distant, meticulous air.
There is still much fun to be had though. Sam Alexander's Lysander is a gent from Jerome K Jerome, endearingly pompous as he talks down to Olivia Darnley's similarly self-regarding Hermia. Hattie Ladbury is the funniest of the four, a clever but hopeless hockey-sticks type who seems wholly at sea attempting to charm Demetrius.
The Rude Mechanicals build from gentle, characterful Summer Wineish beginnings to the glorious frenetic climax of their play within a play.
Ian Talbot's Bottom is a Northern craftsman whose frowning nononsense exterior belies a mammoth desire for self-expression.
When, beloved of Titania, he holds forth to the rapt fairies, you sense that it is this opportunity to be a star he relishes far more than sensual pleasure.
It's a shame the fairies misfire. Mark Meadows and Sarah Woodward are uninspired Fairy royalty, and Richard Glaves manages to do more of interest as Philostrate than in his strange, adolescent turn as Puck.
Luscombe's use of music too seems misguided. Songs are a dull mish-mash of Renaissance harmonies, and some on-stage incidental music is very incidental.
Annoying, but nowhere near enough to spoil what is a lovely evening under the summer sky.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Open Air Theatre
Regent's Park, NW1 4NP
