A Midsummer Night's Dream (Public Theater) NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (233)
See it if You are looking for a great time in the park and some fabulous and fun performances of the fluffiest of Shakespeare shows! A great evening!
Don't see it if You hate being outside and laughing
See it if You want an easy Shakespeare play in a gorgeous setting. Danny Burstein is hysterical. Costumes and staging are perfect. A delightful romp
Don't see it if You don't want to wait in line for hours for tickets or don't have someone who can get you in. (waiting in this line has its own charms)
See it if you are a fan of Midsummer Nights dream and want to enjoy a pleasant evening of theater
Don't see it if there really is no reason not to see it Read more
See it if Love Shakespeare. This was a hilariously ditzy take on an old favorite with wonderful music and originality.
Don't see it if you hate being outdoors.
See it if you love the written play and appreciate it when a director draws out typically overlooked aspects of Shakespearean comedies
Don't see it if you expect a period piece or are indifferent to Shakespeare/his comedies—this play's good but probably not worth the line to non-WS fans Read more
See it if you like your Shakespeare cleverly staged with a few contemporary touches and some great performances.
Don't see it if you are not a fan of Shakespeare's plays or if you don't like comedies.
See it if you enjoy boisterous and obscene renditions of super fun classic plays
Don't see it if you don't like to laugh
See it if you like classic adaptations of Shakespeare that are true to the original text.
Don't see it if you like Shakespeare plays that are set in modern times with current costumes.
Critic Reviews (42)
“An unexpectedly fresh production…In addition to this novel interpretation, deBessonet provides dazzlingly funny direction as the multiple plots play out on David Rockwell’s revolving pastoral set, perfectly suited to the park’s natural milieu. Add some spicy battle-of-the-sexes chemistry between Bhavesh Patel’s pompous Theseus and De’Adre Aziza’s sexy Hippolyta and you have the perfect 'Dream' for a midsummer night.”
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“Perfectly enjoyable…The staging and acting are broad, which works fine for the comedy that lends itself to such a romp, especially in an outdoor setting…Ashford gives a striking performance, cutting up in broad fashion in showing off her unique talent. She is often hilarious. Another standout is the ever-reliable Burstein as weaver Nick Bottom…Whether playing parts large or small in the huge ensemble, the collection of cast members makes for a vital company that delivers convincingly.”
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"Any director must helm all this with a clear point of view, however, or chaos ensues. Unfortunately, deBessonet apparently has none. The four factions bump against each other without cohesion...There are two unfathomable casting errors. The first is Nielsen as a leaden Robin Goodfellow...The second, nightshirt-wearing fairies ranging from 65-85 years old...Ashford is hit or miss as Helena...The usually fine Danny Burstein doesn’t seem to be having enough fun with the role."
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"'Dream' comes streaked with whimsy—and a scene- and production-stealing performance by Annaleigh Ashford...The other three in this confused lovers’ nest...are solidly devoted to their roles, but no match for Ashford as she dictates the pace, laughs, and meaning of every scene she appears in...The evening is like a sweet-intentioned, indulgent fever dream. If 'Midsummer' is a play full of japes, it also feels like a jape itself. It dissolves, like its characters, into the night."
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"Lear deBessonet delivers an uneven, down-the-middle version of one of Shakespeare’s most familiar comedies that emphasizes the broad, sitcommy action among the various sets of mismatched lovers. Hers is a 'Midsummer' by way of TVLand, complete with bouncy musical 'bumpers' between the scenes...Subtlety is not the predominant theme of this 'Midsummer,' which seems bent on trotting out just about every Borscht belt cliche to poke us in the ribs."
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"Under Lear deBessonet’s superb direction, the mood is kept light and hilarity reigns. Modern expressions and deliveries heighten the entertainment, as does the physical comedy, especially from Ashford...The cast is uniformly excellent; Jeff Hiller mines the comic elements of Thisbe to great effect...The Public’s 'Midsummer' is crackling with humor. Credit first-rate acting and electric staging for a glorious night under the stars."
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“Ashford brings goofy charm and a natural flair for physical comedy…Rashad offers a more languorous, though no less assured, portrayal of Titania…Burstein invests his role with unflagging pantomime energy. The rest of ‘the Mechanicals’ form a solid comic unit…Other performers often seem to be going through the motions…The songs seem gratuitous…DeBessonet nonetheless succeeds throughout in marshaling her sizable ensemble and creating an infectious air of merriment."
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"This 'Dream' is just classic Delacorte eye candy. DeBessonet has assembled an enviable cast for a lush production of the multi-pronged Shakespeare comedy set in an enchanted forest...Nielsen’s fans will delight in her comically twitchy presence...The final wedding scene is a rousing affair with the Mechanicals performing to the Duke’s delight, and a string of festive bulbs raised behind the stage."
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