Maxine Peake, John Hannah and Matt Lucas star in this modern, BBC adaptation of Shakespeare's play. In Athens, tyrannical ruler Theseus (Hannah) plans his wedding to Hippolyta (Eleanor Matsuura) while an amateur theatre group, led by Bottom (Lucas), prepare their production of a celebratory play in a surrounding forest. But deep in the Athenian woods, King of the Fairies Oberon (Nonso Anozie) and his Queen Titania (Peake) are involved in a bitter dispute which makes Oberon resort to magic in a desperate bid to humiliate her. Their quarrel spills over into the rehearsals of the play and also affects four young lovers who are visiting the forest, leaving Oberon and his servant Puck (Hiran Abeysekera) to try and make amends for their misdeeds.