Midsummer Night’s Dream, A

Synopsis: A televised recording (although never transmitted) for NBC of Peter Hall’s 1959 staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. The production is prefaced by a short Prologue in which Charles Laughton guides the audience around notable sights in Stratford-upon-Avon, and includes a scene in which Peter Hall introduces the production. Backstage scenes are briefly shown. Fletcher Markle directs for television.
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Television
Recording date: 1959
Duration: c90

Notes: The score for the music specially composed by Raymond Leppard for this production is held in the RSC Archive; along with production photographs, photographs of some of Lila de Nobili’s costume designs, reviews, prompt books and programmes.
General: The three video cameras were brought from Paris for the production.
History: The anthology drama series in which this production would have been broadcast was never shown in the United States or the UK. The programme had its premiere at the Picturehouse cinema, Stratford-upon-Avon on 7 October 2012.

The production was revived in 1962 with Judi Dench taking the role of Titania and was filmed by Hall in 1968.

SHAKESPEARE