REVIEW: A Midsummer Night's Dream - Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble

Presented by Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble (QSE) and PIP Theatre

Director: Angus Thorburn (Assistant Director Rebecca Murphy)

Shakespeare’s 440-year-old comedy still sparkles as fresh and funny as ever, transporting us into an enchanted forest where lovers bicker, fairies scheme, and a troupe of well-meaning players stage the most hilariously dreadful play-within-a-play. Director Angus Thorburn promised a “beautiful mess,” and that was exactly what unfolded on the PIP Theatre stage.

Josh Murphy’s set of simple green draping and branch structures gave the stage an immediate woodland charm, conjuring the forest with naturalistic ease. I couldn’t help but imagine how a sprinkling of fairy lights would have elevated the magic even further. Harmony Barath’s layered fabrics lent the Athenians, Lovers, and Mechanicals an earthy timelessness, while the fairies shimmered in elaborate costumes and masks, their strangeness heightened by almost insect-like physicality.

Emily Croft’s Puck glowed under striking makeup that gave the trickster a mischievous glow and Claire Pearson’s Titania caught the eye as she glided across the stage crowned in flowers and shimmering fabrics, every inch the regal queen. Lighting by Ziggy Enoch interlaced enchantment throughout, with the lullaby sequence in particular glowing with haunting atmosphere. And while I longed for a touch more glitter — on faces, costumes, even the magic flower — I appreciated the practical choice, knowing the cast were doubling roles and quick-changing.

Music played a vital role in this production. With original compositions by Liliana Macarone and Rob Pensalfini, the show included moments of cast singing and even playful choreography. These interludes deepened the fairy magic and gave the ensemble opportunities to shine as a collective. I did wonder if we needed the lullaby sung in full twice, but it was beautifully performed.

The cast embraced Shakespeare’s chaos wholeheartedly, throwing themselves into comedy, mischief and heartfelt moments. Mikala Crawley made a wonderfully dramatic Helena, leaning into her desperation with both gusto and humour. Her heartfelt conviction that she was being cruelly mocked drew a real pang of sympathy amid the laughter. Leah Mustard’s Hermia was a fiery pocket rocket, sparking with energy and chemistry opposite Meg Bennett’s Lysandra, whose playful, queer-coded partnership with Hermia added freshness to the familiar text. Their quarrels with Eamon Langton’s Demetrius became deliciously childish playground fights, full of flailing limbs and petty insults.

Dom Tennison stood out across multiple roles (Egeus, Snug, and Mustardseed), commanding the stage with presence in parts that often fade into the background. Rob Pensalfini stole scene after scene as Bottom, buzzing with the irrepressible chaos of what I can only describe as 'the original ADHD character.' His Jack Black–style energy was unpredictable, quirky, and uproarious, particularly once transformed into a donkey with a broad Aussie accent.

Liliana Macarone brought grounded leadership to Quince, delighting the audience with an unexpected turn on guitar as a one-woman band. James Enwright shone as Flute, especially in his dainty, wigged performance as Thisbe. His gloriously sincere “bad acting” paired perfectly with Pensalfini’s overblown Pyramus, their tragic finale a masterclass in comedy.

Emily Croft bounded through the play as a hyper, gleefully mischievous Puck, her presence always eye-catching and playful. Rebecca Murphy highly impressed me in the dual roles of sly, manipulative Oberon and the smaller but memorable Starveling. Claire Pearson’s Titania radiated regality, every inch the haughty fairy queen. Rounding out the ensemble were Jason Nash as a sharp-eyed Theseus and playful Peaseblossom, and Paris Lindner as Hippolyta and Moth, both strong in their dual roles.

The show brimmed with moments to remember. The lovers’ squabbles, full of petulance, never failed to raise a laugh. Helena’s monologue, convinced of cruel trickery, offered rare vulnerability amidst the chaos. I adored the petty side-business that constantly bubbled at the edges of the stage: sharp glances, silent gestures, and background mischief rewarding every watchful eye. “What fools these mortals be” landed with delicious bite, while the running gag of the heavy sleepers oblivious to the forest’s mayhem never failed to amuse me.

The play-within-a-play was the jewel in the crown. Pensalfini’s melodramatic death, Enwright’s wobbly Thisbe, and Macarone’s interruptions as Quince created the perfect storm. It felt like I was truly watching a gloriously awful amateur production. Jason Nash as Theseus gave harsh yet enthralled critique of their play; conjuring the knowing eye of a director who knows he could have done better, yet secretly relishes every second of the disaster before him.

QSE’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream captured both the beauty and the ridiculousness of Shakespeare’s world. The ensemble used every inch of the space with commitment, their verse delivered with clarity and ease, never once faltering. The audience was full and audibly responsive throughout, laughing, gasping, and relishing the madness of love and live theatre.

This was only my second time seeing this play, and the novelty certainly has not worn off. With magic, music, pettiness, and a cast unafraid to embrace both frivolity and poetry, this was a joyful trip through the forest.

Photography by Benjamin Prindable