Hands down, this was the best Shakespeare production I have ever seen. RSC's Midsummer is a thrill to see. Our entire class left the theatre so starry-eyed and amazed at how they brought this play to life. Here are some of the details:
1. Bottom (played by Joe Dixon) was HILARIOUS. I couldn't stop laughing throughout the entire play. We mentioned in our class discussion yesterday morning that Shakspeare constructs the mechanicals in a way that we are supposed to root for them by the end, and root we did--they stole the show. To be honest, of the four plotlines (Theseus/Hippolyta, 4 lovers, Oberon/Titania, and the mechanials), I have always found the Pyramus and Thisbe troupe to be the least interesting. Not last night; I got excited everytime I saw their entourage approach the stage. The final scene in which the players entertain the three married couples, was HILARIOUS. The entire audience was laughing the entire time. They nailed Shakespeare's humor and incorporated so much body language to complement it. Bravo.
2. The four lovers nailed their parts, line after line. Demetrius was a preppy suck-up at the beginning, but I loved how he shed the fascade in the forest and he and Demetrius could really engage in a war of wits. The scene when Helena thinks she is being mocked by the other three was, again, perfect in my eyes. All four were on fire, and it totally worked. They played up the "girl fight" theme, too, which was funny--they made it clear that there are some words you just don't call your childhood best friend :-).
3. Puck was a sarcastic dark fairy who kept undermining himself--perfect. He would say words that he knew he weren't true ("If I am an honest Puck") and would shake his head or roll his eyes to play up how his "role" in the kingdom didn't really fit his character. He wore a black tutu throughout the entire play until the end, when he switched to white--and then couldn't stand wearing it.
4. The set was incredible--a huge orb of a moon that changed colors, loads of hanging lights that flicked with the fairies' command, players "flying" around stage, a huge bed in the shape of a moon that raised and lowered, a falafel truck as the mechanical's home base, lots of dolls...the whole theatre was magical. And that's just how it should be with A Midsummer Night's Dream.
1. Bottom (played by Joe Dixon) was HILARIOUS. I couldn't stop laughing throughout the entire play. We mentioned in our class discussion yesterday morning that Shakspeare constructs the mechanicals in a way that we are supposed to root for them by the end, and root we did--they stole the show. To be honest, of the four plotlines (Theseus/Hippolyta, 4 lovers, Oberon/Titania, and the mechanials), I have always found the Pyramus and Thisbe troupe to be the least interesting. Not last night; I got excited everytime I saw their entourage approach the stage. The final scene in which the players entertain the three married couples, was HILARIOUS. The entire audience was laughing the entire time. They nailed Shakespeare's humor and incorporated so much body language to complement it. Bravo.
2. The four lovers nailed their parts, line after line. Demetrius was a preppy suck-up at the beginning, but I loved how he shed the fascade in the forest and he and Demetrius could really engage in a war of wits. The scene when Helena thinks she is being mocked by the other three was, again, perfect in my eyes. All four were on fire, and it totally worked. They played up the "girl fight" theme, too, which was funny--they made it clear that there are some words you just don't call your childhood best friend :-).
3. Puck was a sarcastic dark fairy who kept undermining himself--perfect. He would say words that he knew he weren't true ("If I am an honest Puck") and would shake his head or roll his eyes to play up how his "role" in the kingdom didn't really fit his character. He wore a black tutu throughout the entire play until the end, when he switched to white--and then couldn't stand wearing it.
4. The set was incredible--a huge orb of a moon that changed colors, loads of hanging lights that flicked with the fairies' command, players "flying" around stage, a huge bed in the shape of a moon that raised and lowered, a falafel truck as the mechanical's home base, lots of dolls...the whole theatre was magical. And that's just how it should be with A Midsummer Night's Dream.
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