Midsummer Night Dreams

From William Shakespeare’s ancient Greek forest to Guillaume Côté’s contemporary creation, Midsummer Night Dreams has transcended the centuries without losing any of its mystery.

Here, the choreographer sets this enchanted comedy during a wedding celebration over the course of a weekend. The union seems peaceful at first, until everything begins to unravel. Four young lovers see their relationships put to the test by a mischievous figure and a magical love potion. In this wild landscape, which gradually transforms into a chaotic and enchanted world, Guillaume Côté offers a deeply human reimagining of Shakespeare’s 1595 play.

At the heart of the work lies a simple and disarming question: what becomes of love over time? The choreographer explores the cracks in love, the wear and tear of long relationships, the fragility of human bonds, and that desire that persists despite fatigue, jealousy, and misunderstanding. A former principal dancer, Guillaume Côté unfolds a choreographic language that is both incisive and deeply embodied, rooted in classical rigour. The score weaves a vibrant dialogue between Mendelssohn, the prodigy of German Romanticism, Max Richter, Steve Reich, and Johann Strauss, while the staging gradually shifts from almost raw realism into the realm of pure dream.

A night to lose oneself, confront one’s desires, and perhaps find oneself again.