A Midsummer Night's Dream

Inspired by William Shakespeare

The course of true love never did run smooth...

Problems with love and love sickness affect four young people: Hermia loves Lysander, Lysander loves Hermia, Helena loves Demetrius and Demetrius loves Hermia, and not Helena, that is, the two men love the same woman, leaving one of the women with many suitors and another one with few... the Queen of the Fairies loves a man with a donkey head because of a magic potion applied by the King who wishes to have a young Indian boy as a knight... but who mixes all this set is Puck...

The dreams of a magical night that it will be small for all the events... A true surreal atmosphere with fairies, elves, lost lovers, couples in love, love potions, dreams and laughter, where spirits challenge the meaning of true love. An invitation to pleasure, to laughter, to the world of wonder and to the ability to dream with your eyes wide open... An invitation to the madness of love. It is a romantic story that takes place in the woods near Athens but it could happen anywhere at any time...

Love me tender,
Love me sweet,
Never let me go.
You have made my life complete, And I love you so.
-Elvis Presley, Love me Tender

This performance inspired by the comedy of William Shakespeare, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, premiered on 11th November 2010 at Museu da Marioneta. It was also presented in 2011 at Teatro Carlos Alberto, within the FIMP - Festival Internacional de Marionetas do Porto.

<sup>"(...) Hermia loves Lysander, Lysander loves Hermia, Helena loves Demetrius and Demetrius loves Hermia. The usual mess in one of William Shakespeare’s best-known comedies, here in a puppet and animated forms version that emphasize all the surrealism of the enchanted forest, the magic potion and Puck elf."
- Time Out (10th November 2010)</sup>

^CREDITS

^{Artistic direction, scenography and construction: Luís Vieira, Rute Ribeiro Puppeteers: Luís Hipólito, Luís Vieira, Raquel Monteiro, Rute Ribeiro Adaptation: Luís Vieira, Rute Ribeiro Lighting design and vanity tables: Zé Rui Scenography assistant: Raquel Monteiro Sound design: Catarina Côdea Lighting and sound operation: Catarina Côdea Photography: Alípio Padilha, Susana Neves Technique: Paper figures, objects and shadows}