THE reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s classic, A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Nuffield Theatre, Southampton, doesn’t rely on celebrities or lavish effects to pull in the crowds, but instead the Director Sean Holmes opted for good old-fashioned family entertainment.

Part rock gig, part stand-up, Shakespeare’s best loved play is a play within a play. It is referred to as ‘metafiction’ and the audience are reminded of the conventions that are being used throughout the performance.

The tale of a Midsummer Night’s Dream established in 1595/96 is a tale of young lovers and warring fairies, it explores multiple themes such as love, jealousy, power and revenge that still resonate in contemporary society.

It is also a tale of dreamlike fantasy set in a magical forest where love spells are cast and mischief is made by the fairy servant Puck, played by Kayla Meikle.

The naturally funny, quick on his feet, Peter Quince played by George Fouracres made ample references to the Royal Wedding, Brexit, English stereotypes and not forgetting Jennifer Lawrence throughout the show, fittingly combining Shakespeare’s original text with a young and contemporary rendition to the audience’s delight.

Fouracres had the packed-out theatre laughing routinely throughout his skits, while David Ganly who plays Bottom gave BAFTA winning actor Martin Freeman a run for his money, who was teased by Fouracres to star as Bottom.

The set is kept the same throughout the entire show, with the addition of minimal props and extravagant actions that add/destroy elements of the pristine space, such as half-way through the play, when the stage descends into controlled chaos and the audience unexpectedly find themselves embroiled in a food fight.

This is during the scene when Hermia, played by Rebecca Birch furiously attacks Helena, played by Amy Marchant with bread rolls and boxes of cereal flying all over the place. Nevertheless, this light-hearted adaption allows the show to be incredibly accessible and enjoyable for an audience experiencing Shakespeare for the first time.

With tickets starting from £10 the 12-strong cast of actors and live musicians, including Allyson Ava-Brown, George Fouracres, Daniel Fraser, David Ganly, Harry Jardine, Matt King Smith, Amy Marchant, Kayala Meikle, Alan Pagan, Michael Palmer and Dharmesh Patel- who are compellingly brilliant throughout-this night of entertainment is value for money.

It runs at The Nuffield Theatre until Saturday