"A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare -BBC Radio 3 (2011)

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This is the 2011 BBC Radio 3 production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that starred Lesley Sharp as Titania. This particular adaptation, directed by Celia de Wolff, is notable for its immersive sound design, having been recorded on location in "22 acres of Sussex woodland" to capture the authentic sounds of the enchanted forest.

This 2011 BBC Radio 3 production, directed by Celia de Wolff, is a vibrant and atmospheric adaptation of Shakespeare's whimsical comedy, brought to life through a talented cast and immersive sound. Lesley Sharp delivers a captivating performance as Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, her voice conveying both royal authority and the comical infatuation brought on by Oberon's love potion.

The play unfolds with the intertwined stories:

The Athenian Lovers: Hermia (Emerald O'Hanrahan) and Lysander (Joseph Timms) flee into the forest to escape Hermia's forced marriage to Demetrius (Ferdinand Kingsley). They are pursued by Demetrius and the heartbroken Helena (Anna Madeley).

The Quarrelsome Fairies: In the same forest, Oberon (Toby Stephens), King of the Fairies, is at odds with his Queen, Titania (Lesley Sharp), over a changeling boy. Oberon, aided by the mischievous Puck (Freddie Fox), orchestrates a magical scheme using a love potion to humiliate Titania and manipulate the human lovers.

The Amateur Actors: A group of "mechanicals" led by the bumbling Nick Bottom (Roger Allam) venture into the woods to rehearse their play, "Pyramus and Thisbe," intended for the Duke's wedding celebration.

Puck's bungled application of the love potion leads to a hilarious tangle of affections among the human lovers, as both Lysander and Demetrius fall for Helena. The peak of the magical mayhem sees Lesley Sharp's Titania, under the influence of the potion, fall deeply in love with Bottom, who has been magically transformed with the head of an ass.

As dawn approaches, order is restored. The spells are reversed, the lovers are correctly paired (Hermia with Lysander, Helena with Demetrius), and Bottom returns to his human form, believing his experience was merely a fantastic dream.

The play culminates with the triple wedding of Theseus (Nicholas Farrell) and Hippolyta (Emma Fielding), alongside the reunited human couples. The mechanicals' earnest, if disastrous, performance of "Pyramus and Thisbe" provides a final comedic highlight, before the fairies, now reconciled, bless the household.

This production is particularly noted for its use of on-location recording, which enhances the "dreamlike" and "magical" atmosphere of the forest scenes, allowing the audience to truly feel transported into Shakespeare's enchanted world.