1. What a Lovely Midsummer Day

BBC Teach > School Radio > School Plays and Musicals > A Midsummer Night's Dream

Song 1 - Song 2 - Song 3 - Song 4 - Song 5 - Song 6 - Song 7 - Song 8 - Playscript

The first song is an upbeat celebration of the forthcoming marriage of Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta.

The song video

Song 1: 'What a Lovely Midsummer Day' - Vocal

It’s in the air,
Love’s everywhere,
A city here to cheer and shout. (Clap clap)
The mood is high,
Want to know why?
What is the bustle all about? (No doubt!)
Welcome to Athens,
Where it all happens,
Yell hooray!
Celebration’s on its way,
What a lovely Midsummer day.

Let’s meet the boss, Duke Theseus by name,
Though wise and kind and fair, he ruled alone,
Until Hippolyta the warrior came,
A mighty queen to share his mighty throne.
From column to the gutter, this city is a-flutter
With wedding bells don’t you know?
Woah-o-o-oh!

It’s in the air,
Love’s everywhere,
A royal marriage - just the thing.
The nuptial hour,
Of those in power,
Draws on apace, and bells will ring. (Ding ding!)
Welcome to Athens,
Where it all happens,
Yell hooray!
Celebration’s on its way.
What a lovely Midsummer day.

Life’s unkind to poor sweet Hermia (to Hermia),
Her dad is making such an awful fuss (an awful fuss),
She loves Lysander and he’d marry her (he’d marry her)
Except she’s promised to Demetrius.
When love is all confusion, then what is the conclusion?
Who can ever know?
Woah-o-o-oh!

It’s in the air,
Love’s everywhere,
When’s love is fickle, life’s a stress!
Party’s begun,
Let’s have some fun,
When life’s a pickle, love’s a mess, (Oh yes!)
Welcome to Athens,
Where it all happens,
Yell hooray!
Celebration’s on its way.
What a lovely Midsummer day.

This episode of the story

Synopsis

Our storyteller - a woodland sprite called Puck - welcomes us to Athens. It's a special time as Duke Theseus is shortly to marry Queen Hippolyta.

Elsewhere the course of true love is not running as smoothly. Hermia, a young Athenian woman, is in love with Lysander...but her father, Egeus, has promised her to Demetrius. To make matters worse, Egeus has the support of Theseus.

Helena, another Athenian lady, is in love with Demetrius...but he only has eyes for Hermia now.

Lysander and Hermia decide their only option is to run away from Athens and marry secretly in the woods outside the city. But they share their plan with Helena and she decides that telling Demetrius may win him back.