IT is not unusual for directors to take liberties with the setting, and costuming, of what is arguably Shakespeare’s most endearing and popular comedy. After nearly three centuries of turning the actors out in traditional Athenian costumes, and placing them in the Forest for most of the production, Harley Granville-Barker swept all that away in his minimalist open stage 1914 production. In many ways Peter Brook’s 1970 shining-white circus setting went even further, but while both changed the physical aspects of the story, the characters and storyline remained intact in both productions.

And that is where this startlingly original interpretation varies from all that has gone before. Dramaturg Frank Peschier, director Holly Race Roughan, designer Max John and the rest of the production team happily throw out much of the comedy in order to delve deeper into the darker psyche of the characters.

Nick Bottom the Weaver (here he’s head chef at Theseus’ manor) is played by Danny Kirrane Three of his local fellow thespians, Snug, Snout and Starveling, disappear, narrowing the comedy opportunities in their rehearsal and performance of The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe. His relationship with Hedydd Dylan’s Titania, Queen of the fairies [as usual doubling the role with Theseus’ newly-won bride Hippolyta] is also less overtly comedic than is the norm.

But these changes pale into insignificance compared with the changes in the characters of Theseus and Puck. Michael Marcus’s Theseus shows psychopathic tendencies that force a new ending to the play unlike anything seen before. To tell you what this change of storyline is would be like revealing the name of the murderer at the start of a thriller, so I will refrain from such action, but only comment that the change in Theseus’s character has a knock-on effect of changing Michael Marcus’s Oberon’s mischievous messenger, Puck (Sergo Vares), into far more than a jester of and agent of chaos.

The four Athenian lovers, Demetrius (Lou Jackson), Lysander (David Olaniregun), Hermia (Tiwa Lade) and Tara Tijani’s Helena, stay very close to their traditional characterisations, producing some excellent teamwork comedy – this despite the fact that the delicious verbal battle between Helena and Hermia lost some of it’s relevance as there was precious little difference between their heights.

Equally good contributions from Jack Humphrey as Egeus/Quince, Pria Kalsi as Flute/child, and Dannie Harris as a fairy/ballerina.

The productions continues until Saturday 21st March at Bristol’s Old Vic. If you go, you will have a fascinating two hours20 minutes of theatre, giving you an insight into a very different view of a much loved favourite. Traditionalists may jib at it both visually and psychologically, but those looking for deeper meanings in this Shakespearian comedy classic will be enthralled.

Gerry Parker