Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne
October 3, 2018

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s lightest comedies, full of mischief and mayhem, hijinks and good humour. The story has enchanted countless artists over the centuries, including several notable choreographers. Liam Scarlett’s version, which was first performed by the Queensland Ballet in 2016, is touring to Melbourne for the first time. It’s an immensely enjoyable production brimming with colourful characters, a progressively comedic plot and ample of opportunity for the company’s dancers to shine.

Victor Estévez, Laura Hidalgo and company members. Photograph © David Kelly

Many will be familiar with the Bard’s story. After a quarrel between the Fairy King Oberon and Queen Titania (played by principals Victor Estévez and Laura Hidalgo), the King sends his apprentice Puck (senior soloist Kohei Iwamoto) to find a magical flower that can cause a person who is sleeping to fall in love with whomever they first see upon awakening. Into the forest come four explorers who, already tangled in a complicated love triangle, soon find themselves subject to even greater mayhem when Puck (with the magical flower) unleashes his mischief.

In transforming the play into a ballet, Scarlett has...