Chekhov International Theatre Festival

Dmitry Krymov's Lab

Theatre School of Dramatic Art

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (As You Like It)

Krymov’s Shakespearean fantasy offers a rich, original and entertainingly subversive anatomy of love, politics and the theatre itself.  -The Telegraph

This is not your standard Shakespeare but a hilarious piece of controlled anarchy that lasts 90 minutes and is directed by Dmitry Krymov.  -The Guardian

What is remarkable is the way this delirious nonsense becomes and unexpectedly tender piece about love. -Financial Times

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (As You Like It), by Russian director Dmitry Krymov, was commissioned for the 2012 World Shakespeare Festival and was a hit at the 2012 Edinburgh International Festival.

Krymov believes that the Mechanicals hold up the secret and the main themes of this Shakespeare play. During this production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (As You Like It), the audience will not find the Athenian Wooded madness of Shakespeare’s play, but there is still plenty of insanity, supported by theatrical magic. With two six-meter high puppets, Krymov delivers raw mechanical performances in telling the story of Pyramus and Thisbe. An opera singer, two acrobats, amateur student ballerinas and a trained dog may seem to randomly appear; but, rest assured, they are all part of Krymov’s ingenuity.

With minimal dialogue, audience members can immerse themselves in the beautiful singing, and experience the clever humor that Krymov has embedded in this work.

Dmitry Krymov, Director

Born in 1954, Dmitry Krymov has directed and designed various productions in Moscow which have established him as one of the most original directorial voices of his generation. Krymov and his ‘laboratory’ present visually stunning, symbolic productions where every moment is original, hugely inventive and surprising. In Moscow, his performances are always packed, with audience members greatly anticipating his next vision, waiting to be surprised and entertained.

Krymov’s shows have appeared at prestigious international festivals in Austria, Brazil, Great Britain, Germany, Georgia, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Estonia, Poland and other countries to enthusiastic response by international audiences.

Director / Dmitry Krymov

Set and Costumes Design / Vera Martynova

Composer / Kuzma Bodrov

Technical Director, Lighting Designer / Ivan Vinogradov

Puppets / Victor Platonov

Project Coordinator / Irina Trostnikova

Assistant Technical Director / Kirill Nosyrev

Lighting Engineer / Olga Ravvich

Sound Design / Andrey Zachesov

Wardrobe / Irina Bakulina

Props / Maria Masalskaya

Video Engineer, Subtitles / Alexander Shaposhnikov

Stage Manager / Margarita Bondarenko

Producer / Valery Shadrin
Cast / Valery Garkalin, Vadim Dubrovin, Sergey Erofeev, Sergey Ivanov, Alina Khodzhevanova, Arkady Kirichenko, Alexey Kokhanov, Maxim Maminov, Sergey Melkonyan, Olga Paster, Vladimir Shustov, Anatoliy Shustov, Anna Sinyakina, Maria Smolnikova, Mikhail Umanets

Ballet Dancers / Taichung City Du-Xing Elementary School Artistically Talented Program



Production / Chekhov International Theatre Festival 



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