Director Steen said the fairies were a focal point of this version of the play, with glittering and glowing costumes and choreography by Flower Curran that captured how the magical creatures might move.

"The number of times I've seen the fairies done as punk rockers or fashion girls, I thought let's actually make them fairies, Shakespeare wrote fairies, let's put them back in," he said.

"It's a very traditional fairy look in some ways.

"Puck is bare chested and covered in leaves, very Pan-like, and the girl fairies have got their party dresses on and are romping through the forest as if in some Bacchanalian tea party, having a good time."

One of Shakespeare's humorous and silly plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream tells the tale of four young lovers whose affections are manipulated by the mischievous fairies and a band of actors who unwittingly become caught in an argument between the fairy king and queen.

Steen said the play's upbeat tone and slapstick comedy meant it appealed to both Shakespeare fanatics and people new to the Bard.

"It's just a spectacle and there's lots of laughs. There aren't very many serious messages in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Love each other and have fun is pretty much it."

The play is on from July 11-26. Tickets are available from www.phoenixtheatre.net.au - $20 for adults, $15 for concession and $60 for a family.