A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a play about lords and fairies. Some teachers think that children love fairies (as they also apparently love the witches in Macbeth) but a little thinking about teenagers at the planning stage might take you in a better direction. Adolescents actually think that fairies are stupid. Their existence in the Dream confirms pupils’ worst fears about Shakespeare. Even if they’ve never read or watched him, they already know that he’s boring, difficult and pointless. This is the cultural context you’ve got to work with. That negative perception, as you plan your opening lessons, is at least as important as your knowledge of the Globe Theatre or Shakespearian comedy. Where is this in your plan?