'A Midsummer Night's Dream' announces full cast at the Barbican

Joining Mathew Baynton as Bottom, is Andrew Richardson as Oberon/Theseus and Katherine Pearce as Puck. Eleanor Rhode directs Shakespeare's play about love, magic, appearance, and jealousy.

The full cast has been announced for William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which opens at the Barbican in London on 3 December, running until 18 January, 2025.

Joining Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, Wonka) as Bottom, is Andrew Richardson (Guys and Dolls) as Oberon/Theseus and Katherine Pearce (Waterloo Road), who returns to the RSC as Puck.

New company members also include Alexander Bellinfantie (Moth), Eliza Smith (Mustardseed), and Natalie Thomas (Peaseblossom).

They join returning cast members Nicholas Armfield (Demetrius), Mathew Baynton (Bottom), Emily Cundick (Snout), Esme Hough (Cobweb), Ryan Hutton (Lysander), Laurie Jamieson (Snug), Neil McCaul (Egeus), Helen Monks (Rita Quince), Adrian Richards (Philostrate), Boadicea Ricketts (Helena), Sirine Saba (Titania/Hippolyta), Dawn Sievewright (Hermia), Mitesh Soni (Flute), and Premi Tamang (Starveling).

Director Eleanor Rhode said: “I am so excited to be back in the rehearsal room for A Midsummer Night’s Dream with our incredible company. There was so much joy and energy in the making of the original production, and this came through strongly to our audiences in Stratford, who responded in kind. What a treat to be able to get to do it all again - we can’t wait to fill the Barbican stage with love, laughter and magic!”

The rest of the creative team includes set and costume design by Lucy Osborne, illusion direction and design John Bulleid, lighting design by Matt Daw, compositions by Will Gregory, sound design by Pete Malkin, movement direction by Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster, video design by Will Duke, and fight and intimacy direction by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown.

Shakespeare's comedy play follows a mix of subplots, including a troupe of six amateur actors rehearsing a play before the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta and the conflict between four, young Athenian lovers, who fall under the spell of Puck the fairy.

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Photo credit: Mathew Baynton, Katherine Pearce, and Alexander Bellinfantie. (Photos courtesy of production)