A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Globe)
Directed by Dominic Dromgoole
Cinema screening – 28 Jul 14
The comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream is without doubt one of Shakespeare’s most popular and frequently staged plays, and this production by The Globe Theatre delivered both the expected and the surprising. Performed with Renaissance dress and staging, the entirety of the play exuded traditional Shakespearean theatre, although the cinema screening reduced most of the Globe experience due to the amount of close ups. However, this is an accepted risk when watching on screen rather than live in the theatre, and the accessibility these cinema screenings provide cannot be over-rated.
The play opened with a carefully choreographed fight/dance between Theseus (played by John Light) and Hippolyta (Michelle Terry), which highlighted the often overlooked fact that the impending wedding between these two characters is actually the consequence of war. Hippolyta is won through battle, and it was refreshing to see a production that focused more on this aspect than the simple pre-wedding bliss of a contented couple. Indeed, between the dominance of Theseus and the reluctance of Hippolyta there appeared a darker undercurrent and suggestion of domestic violence, an unusual and uncomfortable theme to encounter in a comedy.
In an intriguing interpretation by director Dominic Dromgoole, the actors playing Theseus and Hippolyta also played Oberon and Titania – perhaps a subtle commentary on the tempestuous relationships between the couples. The Fairy King and Queen themselves, along with their supernatural cohort of spirits and pixies, embodied none of the magical charm or elegance of traditional fairy-kind, but were animalistic, coarse and clothed in an array of animal pelts, feathers and horns. Whilst this slightly disturbing portrayal gave a more sinister ambiance to the fairies’ antics throughout the play, the hauntingly beautiful fairy music (by composer Claire van Kampen) and surprisingly excellent singing by the actors themselves contributed to the sense of enchantment that is the centre of this play.
The group of Mechanicals, as expected, provided the majority of the play’s humour. Their initial entrance consisted of a comical clog dance, heard before it was seen, in which Bottom (Pearce Quigley) and Quince (Fergal Mcelherron) both hilariously attempted to “have the last word” with the final click of the clogs. Quigley as Bottom unquestionably stole the show and was especially entertaining throughout, adopting a dry and condescending attitude towards the other Mechanicals – including repeatedly “checking” Quince’s name, sometimes with the audience. It was nuances such as this that really enhanced the play’s comedy aspect, with small gestures and glances between the actors raising the biggest laughs from the audience. With this in mind, the direction and actors’ talents must really be applauded.
Nevertheless, it cannot be ignored that this show did contain a number of disappointing factors. The character of Puck (Matthew Tennyson) lacked certain endearing impish qualities, and instead displayed a rather overbearing impression of drugged up euphoria. Unfortunately this resulted in a shortage of mischievous humour, and rendered his character more ridiculous than amusing or playful. Furthermore, too many of the actors’ lines were shouted to the extent that it was difficult to hear the words, particularly in the case of Oberon. It is never a satisfying theatrical experience when the words themselves, particularly Shakespeare’s words, become inaudible.
In a conflicting combination of the excellent and the unexpected, this show sadly lacked the final satisfying impression that would incite the desire for another viewing. Nonetheless the overall performance was extremely enjoyable, entertaining and full of exuberance, and it was fantastic to gain even a small insight into the world and workings of Shakespeare’s Globe.
All the World's a Stage 