A Midsummer Night's Dream, Chichester Festival Theatre

There were moments during Chichester's A Midsummer Night's Dream when I couldn't actually see the stage or hear the action.

This had nothing to do with the dry ice or other effects, and all to do with the roars of laughter and tears rolling down my face.

Midsummer is my favourite Shakespeare, which carries with it a problem. Having seen it many times it takes a lot to impress.

I was impressed.

I will admit to a twinge of concern when director Gale Edward's fairies took to the stage in lurid Latex costumes topped off with ballerina tutus kept in place by braces. But their acrobatics rapidly grew on me, as did their clever fusion with the action of mortals Hermia, Helena, Lysander and Demetrius as their lovers' quarrels become intermingled with the fairy King Oberon's own mischievous plans for his wife Titania.

Fairies apart, the other big problem for any Midsummer production is how to handle Bottom. The stumbling buffoon given a donkey's head by impish Puck is all too often left to that devise to earn laughs. In Graham Turner's creation we have a braying, hoof-stamping creature that even when returned to human form commands the stage.

If anyone stole the show, however, it had to be Barry McCarthy in the cameo role of Moonshine in the play within the play. He left the audience gasping for breath.

The production is fast paced, inventive and makes superb use of an imaginative if sparse stage setting.

This is the first performance this season by the festival's ensemble approach introduced to Chichester so successfully last year.

If Midsummer is anything to go by, this year's festival will be even better.