Midsummer in mid-winter

Directed by Elizabeth Holland, a lively ensemble is rehearsing hard, to bring to life the magic of a distant world of imaginary Athens.

Here, Duke Theseus has wooed and won his Amazonian Queen, Hippolyta, but their wedding plans are soured by Theseus’ henchman, Egeus, who is determined that his daughter, Hermia, will marry Demetrius, not the romantic Lysander. Hermia and Lysander determined to be together, decide to elope through the wood outside Athens. But as we know, ‘the course of true love never did run smooth’, and Hermia and Lysander are pursued by Demetrius and Helena, Hermia’s jealous friend who loves Demetrius, into the wood.

At this point, the plot, as they say, thickens, thanks to the intervention of the woodland fairy world under the influence of its King and Queen, Oberon and Titania, and the mischievous Puck. To say more would be to spoil what lies in store. Except, of course, to add that a group of Athenian workmen have banded together to rehearse a play which they hope to present to Theseus and Hippolyta as a wedding day entertainment. When Puck comes across them, he cannot resist a merry jest.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs fromWednesday to Saturday, December 2-5 at 7.30pm. Ticket prices are £10 with £8 concessions. Get them from www.todhip.org or in person at Todmorden Tourist Information Centre.