Civic Ballet's presentation of "A Midsummer Night's Dream'' a treat for all who filled the chairs and bleachers at Government House.

The dancers performed on a plywood stage framed by magnificent floodlit trees which, together with the sound of tree frogs, made for a perfect backdrop to this rendition of Shakespeare's classic summer play.

Initially, the volume of the grand music of Mendelssohn, which was piped in, was too low but someone apparently figured this out and increased it.

Certain parts of the ballet were narrated by the voice of what sounded like Dame Judy Dench. This helped anyone less than familiar with the story of "A Midsummer's Night's Dream'' to understand what was taking place.

In Act I, which takes place in a wood near Athens, a group of fairies herald the approach of Oberon (Richard Marsden) and Tytania (Sophia Cannonier).

Butterflies also took to the stage and it was apparent that great effort went into the creation of these sequined and glittering costumes.

The supporting roles of Athenian lovers Hernia and Sander, and Helena and Demetrius were danced by visiting artists Alexis Brown, Mario Cabral, Kate Sherwood and Lorien Slaughter.

But it was Shawn Mahoney from Boston, dancing the role of the mischievous Puck, who, judging from the applause as the dancers took their curtain calls, stole the show.

Mr. Mahoney's athleticism and ability to portray what his character is doing, with delicate hand movements and facial expressions, made him a delight to watch.

Perhaps the most entertaining part of Act II was the interaction between Tytania and the artisan Nick Bottom played by Keith Madeiros.

Bottom's head has been transformed into that of an ass by a magic potion administered by Puck and Tytania also under a spell, falls in love with the ass.

Ms Cannonier took full advantage of this opportunity to display her theatrical abilities and Mr. Madeiros certainly has an aptitude for comedy.

At the end of Act II, Mr. Marsden and Ms Cannonier danced an exquisite pas de deux. The incredible lightness of their steps and the breeze rippling Ms Cannonier's thin costume made for a memorable performance.

Before the start of Act III, props marking the change of scene from the wood to Theseus' palace had to be abandoned as one of the pillars collapsed.

Act III is filled with the festivities accompanying the weddings of the two Athenian couples. The entire cast took to the stage representing all the creatures of the world.

In this Act, Mr. Mardsen and Ms Cannonier dance another pas de deux. However, the earlier precision of Mr. Marsden's steps faltered at this point -- which should have been the highlight of the ballet.

This was clearly neither an effortless nor flawless performance by Mr. Marsden who appeared to be tiring quickly.

The saving of Act III was the comedic interlude put on by the artisans as part of the wedding festivities.

Mr. Madeiros' appetite for theatrics was again apparent as his character played a wounded lover. The persona of his female cohort which was reminiscent of John Cheese in a Monty Python skit made for an unusual and interesting twist.

Maryellen Goodwin REVIEW REV THEATRE THR