Funny females are a hard commodity to come by these days. DCist doesn’t blame biology. It’s a simple fact that there aren’t many works around that showcase women’s comic talents.

Luckily, we have Folger’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and while we can give a little credit to the Bard for writing parts with the potential to earn laughs, it is the amazing group of women assembled here who deserve most of our thanks.

It’s no surprise to us that Kate Eastwood Norris is a natural choice for the role of the mischievous sprite, Puck. The saucy, impish actress whose energy is just about unmatched on the D.C. stage is great with offbeat line delivery, exaggerated facial expressions and owning just about every role she inhabits – even if she isn’t the focus of the proceedings, you find your eyes gravitating towards her to see how she’ll react to a situation. Puck gives her a chance to really steal the show, but Norris nonetheless has some competition from the other worthy women in the cast.

Most notable of these is Stephanie Burden, who does more with the character of Helena, desperately in love with the disinterested Demetrius, than I’ve ever seen in a production of Midsummer. Burden is a star in the making – whether she’s goofily expressing her obedience to her lover by acting like a dog, or cattily yanking the hair of her rivals, she remains completely endearing. Burden also excels at physical comedy, something that is really emphasized in this production, to outrageous effect.