This Edinburgh fringe production of Midsummer!, a modern-language adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Avenue Q co-creator Jeff Whitty, is reviewed as lively, sexually charged and energetically performed. Its significance partly comes from the UK premiere and the appearance of Suri Noelle, daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, though the review finds the wider student cast equally committed.

Whitty preserves much of Shakespeare while updating selected phrases, with most changes working smoothly despite a few jarring colloquialisms. Kim Weild’s staging makes inventive use of the mirrored Spiegeltent-style venue and Pittsburgh-influenced design, but the reviewer feels the play’s darker, climate-related undercurrents and Bottom’s transformation lack impact. Noelle is praised for her comic timing and emotional delivery as Helena, while the 90-minute production is commended for its crisp performances and sustained energy.