The Scene of the Intiman Theater Company Production Designed by Craig Labenz
Theseus
Duke of Athens, who has just conquered the kingdom of Amazons and is preparing for wedding the Queen, Hippolyta. The union of them, along with other two young Athenian couples, represent the theme of marriage of the play. In the play Theseus is the voice of the authority, and has the power to consent the final match of the young Athenian lovers in the play, and also the voice of ration, who speaks for the rationalization of the lovers' dreams in the woods.
Hippolyta
Queen of the Amazons. The Amazons, or "the female warriors," are famous for their maternal-centered society and exclusion of men. However, at the beginning of the play this kingdom has been conquered and Hippolyta is betrothed to Theseus for his victory over Amazons.
Hermia
Egeus's daughter, who is enforced to marry Demetrius as her father's will. She insists on her love for Lysander, another Athenian young man, and challenge his father's power. Encountering the alternatives to marry Demetrius, to die, or to abjure from the human society as a nun, Hermia decides to elope into the woods with Lysander. When Lysander is bewitched and in love with Helena, Hermia still insists on her love for him. Helena and she were good friends but the competence of their love for the two Athenian young men in the end tears their relationship apart.
Lysander
The Athenian young man in love with Hermia but in want of his father's favor. He proposes to Hermia to enter into the woods. In the woods by mistake he is bewitched by the power of the magic flower and falls in love with Helena. He competes with Demetrius first for Hermia, and then Helena. Before the dawn he is released from the power and marries Hermia in the end.
Helena
The Athenian girl in love with Demetrius. She is rejected by him after he falls in love with Hermia. She tells Demetrius Lysander and Hermia's plan to escape into the woods and follows after him. In pity of her Oberon first mistakenly cast the magic power on Lysander and later on Demetrius. Because of magic power of the flower, Demetrius is devoted to her even after their dream in the woods has been awakened.
Demetrius
He is engaged to Helena before he falls in love with Hermia. He first competes with Lysander for Hermia and later for Helena. In the woods he is also bewitched by the power of the flower, and he is the only one who is affected by the bewitchment after his awakening.
Demetrius (Barry MacGregor),
Lysander (Brian Murray), Helena (Diana Rigg),
Hermia (Ann Beach),
Dir: Peter Hall,RSC,1963.
Oberon
King of the Fairies. He quarrels with Titania over an Indian boy whom Titania refuses to give. In Revenge he sends Puck to fetch the flower "love- in- idleness" , and bewitched her to fall in love with the ass that Bottom transforms into. After he gets the Indian boy, he releases Titania from the bewitchment. They are reunited again and bless Theseus's wedding together.
Titania
Queen of the Fairies. Because of his mother's sake, she refuses to give Oberon the Indian boy who he requires for. She is bewitched by Oberon and falls in love with the ass the Puck transforms into. After she gives Oberon the Indian boy she released from the magic power and celebrates Theseus's wedding with Oberon together.
Alan Howard
as Oberon, Sara Kestelman as Titania,,
Dir: Peter Brook, RST, 1970.
Puck
Oberon's attendant, who possesses the power of transforming himself and also others. He is a fairy who enjoys playing harmless tricks on others. In the play he plays the key role who promotes the plot going on while stays as an outsider simultaneously.
Richard McCabe as Puck, Dir: John Caird, RST, 1989
Bottom
The tailor, one of the Athenian craftsmen. While he rehearse the role of pyramids in the woods, he is transformed into an ass by Puck and is crazily loved by bewitched Titania. Unknowing he is transformed, he believes Titania's love is genuinely for his own sake. His farcical casting of the romantic lover Pyramus, wins the Athenian noblemen's laughter.
(Daniel Evans) attempting to speak to Bottom/Pyramus
(Desmond Barrit)via Snout/Wall (Howard Crossley),
Dir: Adrian NobleRSC.1994.Act 5 Scene 1.