A midsummer's Night Dream: Full Cast Drama

Written by William Shakespeare

Narrated by Geoffrey Giuliano and The Arc

One of William Shakespeare's most beloved and whimsical comedies. This enchanting play weaves together the stories of several groups of characters as they navigate the magical and mischievous world of the fairy kingdom and the Athenian woods. The play opens in the court of Athens, where Duke Theseus is preparing for his upcoming marriage to Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons. The young lovers, Hermia and Lysander, are also introduced. However, Hermia's father, Egeus, insists that she marry Demetrius, whom she does not love.

Faced with the choice of marrying Demetrius, facing execution, or a life of chastity in a nunnery, Hermia and Lysander plan to escape to the nearby woods. They are pursued by Demetrius, who is himself pursued by Helena, Hermia's friend, who is infatuated with him. In the forest, a group of bumbling and amateurish actors led by the comical Bottom are preparing a play for the upcoming wedding of Duke Theseus and Hippolyta. Unbeknownst to them, the forest is also home to the fairy king Oberon, his queen Titania, and their mischievous servant, Puck.

Oberon and Puck, with the help of a magic flower, create a web of love and mischief in the forest. Puck mistakenly causes both Demetrius and Lysander to fall in love with Helena, leading to comical and chaotic misunderstandings. Titania, under the influence of Oberon's magic, falls in love with Bottom, who has been given the head of an ass. As the night unfolds, the characters' romantic entanglements and conflicts are resolved. Oberon releases Titania from her enchantment, and Demetrius and Lysander are restored to their proper loves. The lovers and the amateur actors return to the court, where their antics are performed as humorous entertainment.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Icon Audio Arts
• Release date: Oct 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9781998246861

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright the world has seen. He produced an astonishing amount of work; 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 5 poems. He died on 23rd April 1616, aged 52, and was buried in the Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.