This contemporary adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which received three nominations for the 2023 Tasmanian Theatre Awards, retains William Shakespeare’s original text, while reframing the narrative action around the central characters of Cynthia, a mother in her forties diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, her husband Sebastian Goodfellow and her daughter Robyn Goodfellow.  

Cynthia’s passion for theatre began in her youth when she fell in love with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As a young woman, she followed the example of her favourite character, Hermia, and eloped with Sebastian, prompting her father to disinherit and disown her. Twenty-five years later, Cynthia and Sebastian are still a happily married couple, but Cynthia has recently moved to a nursing home to get the support that she and her family need as they confront the harsh realities of early onset Alzheimer’s disease. 

This production, exploring dreams as an extension of memories and fears, is filled with all the fun and hilarity an audience would expect from the play, as well as heart-felt explorations of the aging process and the power of love and forgiveness.