The BBC Television Shakespeare — Season 1, Episode 21: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Episode synopsis

Hermia is in love with Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. To escape the arranged marriage, she and Lysander elope into the woods. Demetrius follows them, and he is pursued by Helena, who nurses an unrequited passion for him. Puck the fairy makes both of the boys fall in love with the same girl. Meanwhile, a group of rough craftsmen rehearse a badly-written play in the woods for the wedding of the Duke of Athens. Soon all find their lives changed by the actions of Oberon and Titania, the warring king and queen of the fairies. Magic, action, love and humour are the ingredients for this unforgettable spell.

About The BBC Television Shakespeare

The BBC Television Shakespeare is a series of British television adaptations of the plays of William Shakespeare, created by Cedric Messina and produced by BBC Television. It was transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to 27 April 1985 and spanned seven series. Development of the series began in 1975 when Messina saw that Glamis Castle would make a perfect location for an adaptation of Shakespeare's play As You Like It. On returning to London, he envisioned an entire series devoted exclusively to the dramatic works of Shakespeare. After encountering numerous problems trying to produce the series, Messina eventually pitched the idea to the BBC’s departmental heads and the series was greenlighted. The series as a whole received generally negative reviews from critics.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1Romeo & Juliet
• E2King Richard the Second
• E3As You Like It
• E4Julius Caesar
• E5Measure for Measure
• E6The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight
• E7The First Part of King Henry the Fourth with the Life and Death of Henry Surnamed Hotspur
• E8The Second Part of King Henry the Fourth containing his Death: and the Coronation of King Henry the Fift
• E9The Life of Henry the Fifth
• E10Twelfth Night
• E11The Tempest
• E12Hamlet, Prince of Denmark