Midsummer: A Banquet NYC Reviews and Tickets

86%

(79 Reviews)

Positive

96%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Entertaining, Delightful, Great acting, Funny, Clever

About the Show

Food of Love invites you to this environmental staging of one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies, replete with besotted lovers and mischievous fairies, which features a multi-course tasting menu.

From Third Rail Projects (creators of "Then She Fell") and the producers of the Drama Desk nominated "Shake and Bake: Love's Labour's Lost," comes this 360-degree environmental staging of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night’s Dream." This sumptuous theatrical experience features an elegantly designed tasting menu and is housed in a historic building, just steps from New York City's Union Square.

Member Reviews (79)

Great staging, Great singing, Entertaining, Enchanting, Delightful

See it if you want a charming evening in a unique environment. The performers sing dance act and serve food in Willem de Kooning"s former studio.

Don't see it if you dislike performances with multiple points of focus. While something's happening wherever you look, the plot doesn't get lost.

Quirky, Overrated, Ambitious, Disappointing, Overdone

See it if you want to watch a scripted relay race where actors are obligated to divert focus from the play at hand to a lot of unrelated tasks

Don't see it if you need the performances/direction/aesthetic immersion to be strong & original enough to balance out a preponderance of gimmicky diversions Read more

Entertaining, Great acting, Hilarious, Enchanting, Delightful

See it if you want a wonderful bare bones production of Midsummer. I laughed so hard. This 8 person ensemble Is fully committed and utterly delightful

Don't see it if you're expecting a banquet *or* a truly immersive Third Rail production. This is site specific *not* immersive. And banquet is overselling. Read more

Funny, Great staging, Delightful, Clever

See it if You want to enjoy a fun night of Shakespeare. The atmosphere is charming, the lighting is perfect, and the food was delicious.

Don't see it if You prefer traditional performance of Shakespeare, or you are expecting a banquet. It was more of a lighter fare, but very tasty.

Shakespeare as you like it, Charming midsummer night

See it if you love Midsummer Night's Dream, a good laugh & tasty food. Acting is good, staging well choreographed & blocked. Small troupe excels.

Don't see it if you dislike Shakespeare or want only serious theater in a theater setting. But eating & drinking during this play is highly appropriate. Read more

Must see, Funny, Enchanting, Entertaining

See it if If you like Shakespeare, or if you want to see an enjoyable show that includes a glass of wine, champagne and lite food. It was loads of fun

Don't see it if If you dont like Shakespeare or don't want to have fun. Set in a beautiful old cafe, awesome

Romantic, Profound, Refreshing, Great acting, Absorbing

See it if you want to live a lovely Shakespeare version. If you want to experience the Third Rail Projects vibe.

Don't see it if you don't like Shakespeare. If you are expecting an ultra immersive play. Read more

Refreshing, Hilarious, Great staging, Great acting, Clever

See it if You’re a Shakespeare fan and looking for a great new take with a great experience.

Don't see it if ...um... maybe just go see it

Critic Reviews (11)

"Dinner theater is underrated…In a triumph of versatility, the eight performers in this inventive and delightfully madcap adaptation of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' not only play its royals, lovers, faeries and rude mechanicals, but also serve a light and delicious five-course tasting menu throughout."
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"Shakespeare’s 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream,'...is already a sweet, toothsome morsel of theatre. This makes Food of Love Productions and Third Rail Projects’ immersive production of the play, accompanied by a multicourse tasting menu, delectable in more ways than one."
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"'Midsummer: A Banquet' — Though It Be But Little, It Is Fierce. Food of Love and Third Rail Projects coproduce a modest Midsummer Night's Dream at Café Fae."
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"If, like me, you grew up thinking of dinner theatre as rattletrap revivals of 'Any Wednesday' paired with steamship round of beef, you may be pleasantly surprised by the activities at Café Fae…There, a troupe of charming and talented young people are presenting a lively production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' paired with a distinctive tasting menu."
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"'Midsummer: A Banquet' is an auditory and oral treat, a light entertainment for this time of year. Using Zach Morris and Victoria Rae Sook's skillfully adapted abridgment of Shakespeare's comedy, the evening of dinner theater is a delightful way to experience the Bard."
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"This may be a 'Midsummer Night's Dream' that prizes atmosphere above all else…Staging that's rambunctiously physical and borderline balletic…the food itself can threaten to upstage the play…but it shows the forest's generosity as a space to try on new attractions and new appearances."
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90% "An immersive staging of the Shakespeare comedy with a five-course tasting menu. Storytelling for and with at least five of the senses. 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in every sense of the expression."
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"A wise theatre junkie once said to me that 'A Midsummers Night's Dream' is a play that either 'sings when it's good' or 'sinks easily when it's not.' And this co-production of Food of Love and Third Rail Projects...most magically and sweetly sings."
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