Post by Brae on Sept 3, 2009 19:10:50 GMT -5
A Midsummer Night's Dream : Stratford Shakespeare Festival : Stratford, Ontario, Canada : The Festival Theatre
OPENING NIGHT!
"If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends."
- Puck (Act v. Scene i.)
OPENING NIGHT!
"If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends."
- Puck (Act v. Scene i.)
I wouldn't say "The Dream" is my favourite of Shakespeare's plays. It is however, my favourite of his comedies. Yet, it still hadn't made my short list of the shows I wanted to see at Stratford this season. In fact that list was "The Scottish Play" & Julius Caesar (it has now grown to include one of 2 musicals playing the festival this season - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum).
But a friend offered my free tickets to see A Midsummer Night's Dream, I figured "why not?". In reality there was no inner discussion... I wanted to go! I just never thought I could.
I get to the theatre last night and imagine my surprise - IT'S OPENING NIGHT! [/b]Of course it's not *the* Stratford Opening, but it's an Opening none the less.
The atmosphere at Stratford is one I enjoy, from the horns signaling people to take their seats before the show & at intermission, to the beautiful gardens & indoor cafe in which you can enjoy a beverage or light snack before the show or at intermission at the Festival's flagship Theatre, appropriately named "The Festival Theatre". Which is located just on the edge of a older residential area, along the Avon River. A beautiful location.
Enough with this preamble. On with the show!
The show was performed on a bare stage. Leaves strewn about, and when the time came, a touch of snow. For the forest, the front half of a balcony broke and fell to the stage. There it was used as a stand in for trees, rock ledges and other forest type things. Simple, but effective.
The show was set in the 1950s, with the fairies being what I would call We Will Rock You inspired (I would say 1980s Punk/Glam Rock or so, even though WWRY is in "the future"). Seriously, Oberon & Titania could have passed for Kashoggi and Killer Queen. Others have said Michael Jackson & Amy Whinehouse. But I don't see that. You judge for yourself. That's them in the picture above.
The Cast
I am only going to comment most of the roles, the show has been filled out with sweepers and such that I could be here all day LOL
THESUS (Timothy D. Stickney) : Nothing to really say about him, other then he was fine.
HIPPOLYTA (Cara Ricketts) : Like Thesus I have no comment other then she was fine.
EGEUS (John Innes) : Like Thesus and Hippolyta, this is a role that doesn't get much stage time. However I felt he stood out more then Thesus & Hippolyta.
HERMIA (Sophia Walker) : I don't know what it is with her, but I just didn't connect with the character at all. I think it all started with the scene in Theseus' palace where she is not only pleading for her love, but also her life. I thought she was flat, I felt no emotion. Over the show I thought she improved, but still there was something missing.
DEMETRIUS (Ian Lake) : Quite good. I felt his scenes with Helena were excellent.
LYSANDER (Bruce Godfree) : I last saw him in Hamlet as Laertes last season. I was happy to learn, he is not only a good "straight" actor, but an excellent comedic actor and excels at physical comedy as well.
HELENA (Laura Condlin) : She was excellent. The "Spaniel" scene, as I call it, was fantastic. As was the scene were she was being pursued by both Demetrius and Lysander.
QUINCE (Michael Spencer-Davis) : He was good.
BOTTOM, plays Pyramus (Geraint Wyn-Davies) : I have seen this man play an @-hole (Henry Breedlove on TV's Slings & Arrows), an @ss-Kisser (Polonius in Hamlet) & now an @ss. I never knew he was such a great comedic actor! He was nothing short of mind-blowing FANTASTIC! A perfect Bottom.
FLUTE, plays Thisbe (Skye Brandon) : He did so much with a small role! He was great!
SNOUT, plays The Wall (Victor Ermanis) : Amusing as the Wall to say the very least.
SNUG, plays Lion (André Sills) : Like Snout, quite amusing.
STARVELING, plays Moonshine : Who knew a lamp & a dog could be so funny?
OBERON (Dion Johnstone) : I last saw him as Boromir in the LOTR Musical. He was very good as Oberon.
TITANIA (Yanna McIntosh) : She was very good. I enjoyed her opposite Bottom the most.
PUCK (Tom Rooney) : I last saw him in Hamlet as Horatio. I'll admit when I saw the cast list for this show, I actually exclaimed aloud to myself "TOM ROONEY? WHY?". "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" (Act3 Sc.2). WOW! Just wow! Along with Bottom, easily my favourite performances of the night. Everything I imagine Puck as. I also loved his 1st entrance. From the top of the theatre on rope. This is after all Canada, we love Cirque de Soilel. This was repeated for an exit as well as another entrance.
THE FARIES : Grouped together, Titania & Oberon's attendants. They were good. Often making themselves set pieces. Hermia rests against the tree & rests her arm on a branch ... branch being the hand of a Fairy. Still the style of Fairyland ('80s punk) just didn't work for me.
Random Thoughts (may be added to over the next few days).
-> I love the @ss' head on Bottom... Fake teeth and Puck's shoes as ears.
-> All incidental and transition music was rock inspired.
-> Enjoyed the choreographed dance at the curtain call. Not something I would expect at Shakespeare, but hey this is Stratford, prepare to be surprised.
The picture I posted with this entry was found on Google. For more production photos, larger & HQ. Check out the Stratford Festival Website.