The Queer Shakespeare Project: A Midsummer Night's Dream (2020)

One of William Shakespeare's best-loved comedies gets a fresh twist, filled with all its classic magic. In Athens, lovers Hermia (Lizzie Lawton) and Lysander (Ray McCarthy) run away to the woods to escape a law that prevents their marriage. They are followed by Demetrius (Lott Lee), who is pursuing Hermia, and Helena (Emily White), who is pursuing Demetrius. In the woods, the four mortals enter a world of fairy enchantment, governed by a conflict between the ethereal Titania (Mike Jenkinson-Deakin) and his fairies, and fairy king Oberon (Sian Elizabeth Hartzenberg), who seeks revenge against her queen. The mischievous sprite Puck (Sadie O'Conor) winds the two worlds together with magnetically devilish glee. When sent to carry out Oberon's plans against Titania, Puck creates chaos between the lovers, as well as among a ragtag group of "mechanicals" performing a play in the woods. In one night, all forms of love and danger are turned upside down! The story abounds with magic, humor, music, and the quest for freedom to be who you are, and love who you love. Filmed entirely remotely during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, an international cast shines in this testament to Shakespeare for the modern world.