OBERON, the fairy king, cast a magic spell over Woburn Abbey on Saturday night to keep dry the crowds who turned out to watch Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The heavens angrily made their feelings felt just five minutes into the latest performance of the venue's Plays In The Park series.

It had all started so perfectly with a clear blue sky and blistering, if humid heat, which aroused the plagues of greenfly to pester picnickers.

Then rumblings of discontent and an ever darkening sky threatened to put a dampener on the occasion.

But the Chapterhouse Theatre Company, performing their second play at the park this year, warned "If it rains, we'll carry on. If it really, really rains, we really really will carry on !"

There was never a more prophetic moment than when the powerful Oberon shook his fist at the overcast sky, eyes cast upward and thundered "All will be peace!"

And, do you know, it did the trick. While lightning storms raged all around us a beam of sunshine struggled through the clouds to light the performance. Not one drop of rain fell to spoil a sparkling production of The Bard's famous work.

A huge crowd had gathered in The Sculpture Gallery gardens to see the performance, with its timeless themes of love and magic at its heart, and they weren't disappointed, giving the young cast a standing ovation at its completion.

There were times when it had the feel of an Edinburgh Fringe or university produced play.

The slapstick exchanges between competitive romeos, Demetrius and Lysander, were delivered with such gusto that it was hard to decided whether the cast or audience were enjoying it more.

MND can be a confusing play for the uninitiated but it was aided by the colour-coding of costumes.

The pretty Hermia (in red) loved Lysander (also in red) but her father wanted her to marry Demetrius (blue). Her friend Helena loved Demetrius but he didn't love her.

The king of Athens, Theseus (plum), was to wed his bride Hippolyta but there was dissent afoot and they rowed.

Their discord was mirrored in fairyland where king Oberon and his queen Titania fell out. In a fit of childish rage Oberon cast a spell to make his queen fall in love with the first creature she saw – the peasant actor, Bottom, who had been bewitched into becoming an ass.

So how did each pair of lovers find happiness ? With a liberal dose of magic, administered by a mischievous imp called Puck, on one night in midsummer.

Performances were universally good with the two beaux, Paul Hayward as Lysander and particularly Scott Brown as Demetrius, bringing out the comedy in their characters as, under the influence of a magic potion, they both attempt to woo a horrified Helena.

They bordered on the ribald as they lusted after the exasperated wench and they clearly relished their roles in what appeared to be their début in Shakespeare.

There was more than a touch of the Peter Pans about Sarah Gain's performance as Puck, with lots of bounding about, hands on hips and an impish smile while the petite Hannah Lee made a passionate and headstrong Hermia.

Kate Ambrose struggled with Helena, shouting out her lines rather than projecting them, which often made it impossible to understand what she was saying.

This was a shame because her character had some great comic moments which were all but lost as bellowed out lines deserving more affection and emotion.

Ian Draper and Kate Crooks made a stunning and passionate Oberon and Titania, he with an almost Johnny Lydon punk appearance of startling crimson hair and harem pants, while as Theseus and Hippolyta, they were composed and regal.

The voluptuous Grace Miller gave an effervescent performance as Peter Quince, leader of a band of amateur actors who perform for Theseus and his bride-to-be and she sparkled in her secondary role as fairy Peaseblossom.

Mark Burman made a delightful ass of himself as Bottom but that was to be expected. It's difficult to act while wearing a donkey's head but Mark was game. He also appeared as Hermia's irate father, Egeus, which gave him more scope to act.

On August 7 the company returns with the Christmas panto Cinderella (yes, really!), while The Lord Chamberlain's Men return with Twelfth Night on August 21.

For more information and tickets contact Woburn Abbey 01525 290333 or go online www.woburn.co.uk/abbey/theatre/