Impressions of Fantasy: Adrian Noble’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Abstract

When Adrian Noble’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream was performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company as part of its 1994–5 Stratford-upon-Avon and touring programme, the production attracted widespread acclaim. Eminent critics joined to sing the praises of a ‘magnificent’, ‘notable’, ‘outstanding’, ‘stunning’ and ‘vibrant’ reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s play.¹ No doubt spurred on by this theatrical success, the RSC, in collaboration with Channel Four, quickly set about transferring the production to celluloid. The film version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, again directed by Noble, was commercially released to a limited number of cinemas in 1996 and, in 1997, made its way to a TV showing and the video market. But the passage from stage to screen proved an unhappy experience. As a film, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, contrary to the expectations aroused by the reception of its previous incarnation, was roundly criticized. Directorial inadequacy had resulted in a ‘botched’ creation (stated The Daily Telegraph), an ‘unmitigated disaster’ (asserted The Observer: Review) and a ‘highbrow pantomime’ (agreed The Sunday Times: Culture).² Concluded The Times: ‘Noble still thinks like a primitive’, offers us a reading of the play that is ‘charmless under the camera’s close scrutiny’ and ‘puts the Bard’s cause back a hundred years’.³