Date: 11 August 2026
Venue: Greenside at George Street, Venue 236
Running time: 55 mins
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5)
Reviewed by: Howard Bunch and Gail Bronfman Bunch

Bottom’s Dream is a reworking of a portion of Shakespeare’s classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream and focuses on the world of the fairies, Oberon, Titania and their interplay with the mechanicals’ acting troupe, which includes the play’s namesake, Bottom. Left out of the plot is the courtship and crazy amour fou of the court of Athens. The play is performed by the Artists Workshop. In the Playbill for the performance, made available by QR code at the theater, the full title of the show is Bottom’s Dream, A Bluegrass Revelry.

Bunch’s review:

Aha! “Bluegrass Revelry!” That explains it! The entire show is performed with the swirling energy and enthusiasm and dancing that I have seen at bluegrass (and Grateful Dead) concerts. The marriage of the faeries’ world and bluegrass music is a natural fit. In fact, the most enjoyable part of the performance was the collective good and swirling contagious energy that was projected by the cast into the audience, which invited participation in dancing and song.

That energy, however, was also a bit overwhelming due to the large cast and small performance space it was contained in. The massive cast fills every inch onstage. We recognized moments of the condensed plot of the original, but this populous density also blurs any character’s moment to elevate and to shine.

Personally, I had trouble tracking the evolution of Bottom’s character from reticent wallflower to full-on thespian, ready for action. I enjoyed the ensemble performances, but especially Peyton Conley as Puck and Liz Torres as Titania. I recommend this show with the understanding that this is a partial retelling of Shakespeare’s original. The energy here is more frenetic and physical, rather than reverential to the words of the Bard.

Bunch gives a solid 4 stars.

Bronfman’s review:

I was pleasantly surprised to hear authentic southern American bluegrass music from the moment we entered the theater! I loved the choice of down-home country music because it feels truthful to the preferences of the “rude mechanicals” depicted in the show.

From the moment you enter, any pretense you feel about Shakespeare dissolves into a crazy 60’s Sunday afternoon love-in at the city park. Everyone of every persuasion is SAFE here! I was asked to dance with the chorus. I positively ADORE audience participation in a musical.

This was the largest cast I’ve yet seen to date at EdFringe, but when my dance number was called, it was amazing that there was room for us all! There were even modern favorites being added to the score and we could all sing along! Oh my heart!

I’d like to see this show in a larger space where I think it would be best served. Also, I would have loved to see more emphasis on diagonal staging of the performers for a multiple-sided audience to more fully experience it.

Based on the energy and audience participation, I give 5 stars.

Together, Bronfman and Bunch think that the merits of the performance outweigh any issues, and it deserves 4.5 stars.