Act one - scene one
Theseus and Hippolyta look forward to their wedding. Egeus tells Theseus that his daughter (Hermia) refuses to marry Demetrius, the man Egeus has chosen for his daughter, and wants to marry Lysander. Theseus says Hermia must obey her father or either become a nun or sentenced to death. Hermia and Lysander plan to escape the kingdom. Hermia tells Helena (her best friend) of her plan.
Act one - scene two
The mechanicals (Bottom, Quince, Snug, Starveling and Flute) meet in Athens to discuss putting on a play. They share out the parts of the play, but Bottom wants to play all the parts. He is told by Quince that he cannot.
Act two - scene one
In the woods we meet Puck who we discover is a mischievous spirit. We also meet Oberon (king of the fairies) and Titania (the queen). Oberon wants a changeling boy given to Titania for his servant Titania refuses and Oberon is Jealous. He vows to get his revenge on her by putting a juice in her eyes to make her fall in love with the first ugly beast she sees. Oberon also instructs Puck to put the juice in the eyes of Demetrius so that he should fall in love with Helena again.
Act two - scene two
We see Titania and her fairies in the wood and she falls asleep. Oberon puts the juice into her eyes wishing that she wakes up when some vile thing is near. Lysander and Hermia rest in the wood and fall asleep. Puck puts the juice into Lysander's eyes instead. Helena, who has lost Demetrius, discovers Lysander and accidentally wakes him. Lysander falls in love with Helena and now hates the sight of Hermia.
Act three - scene one
The mechanicals meet in the wood for discuss how they are going to put the play together. They start to rehearse their lines, making lots of mistakes, when Puck changes Bottom's head into that of an ass. The actors are horrified and run away. Bottom thinks they are playing a trick on him. Bottom accidentally wakes Titania up and she falls madly in love with Bottom.
Act three - scene two
Puck tells Oberon that Titania has fallen in love with a monster. Oberon celebrates his revenge. Hermia notices that Lysander has left her and meets Demetrius. Hermia accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander because of jealousy. Oberon, who is watching the argument, tells Puck off for putting the juice in the wrong person's eye. Hermia leaves and Demetrius falls asleep. Puck is told to bring Helena to this place. Oberon squeezes the juice into Demetrius' eyes. Helena and Lysander arrive and Demetrius wakes. Demetrius falls in love with Helena. Now both Lysander and Demetrius love Helena! Helena thinks this is all a cruel joke. Helena and Hermia have a blazing row, whilst the men fight over them. Demetrius and Lysander challenge each other to a duel. Oberon instructs Puck to lead each of the men of into to the woods and separate them. Puck pretends to be the other man in order to lure them into the woods further. They all get tired and fall asleep. Puck entices Hermia to Lysander's side and she falls asleep. Puck then puts the juice into Lysander's eyes.
Act four - scene one
Oberon forgives Titania, as she has given him the boy, and releases her from the spell. Egeus , Theseus and Hippolyta lead a search party to find the lovers. They find the lovers and Egeus wants to punish Lysander. However, Demetrius now says he is in love with Helena again. Theseus says that they shall all get married (Theseus to Hippolyta, Lysander to Hermia and Demetrius to Helena).
Act four - scene two
The Mechanicals start to panic, as Bottom has not turned up for the rehearsals for that night's show. Bottoms turns up restored to his former self (minus the ass' head).
Act five - scene one
The wedding party decide to see the Mechanical's play. There show is so amateur that it is hilarious for all the wrong reasons. Bottom overacts terribly and the wedding party poke fun at the actors. However, even though the show is terrible the wedding party enjoy the performance. Pucks tells the audience that everything is now back to normal and harmony has been restored.
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