A Midsummer Night's Dream
Apr. 20th, 2024 12:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meteordustSo I recently saw A Midsummer Night's Dream by Bell Shakespeare at the Sydney Opera House. It was advertised as abridged (which is typical of most Shakespeare I see these days) and family-friendly (which was kind of a relief after the harrowing experience of Twelfth Night). That makes sense, as the first Shakespeare play that many students study, and it will likely be popular with school groups. (On the other hand, Bell Shakespeare's other production this year is King Lear, and oh boy, that had so many warnings.)
It was interesting to see the original play, after having watched the musical version, The Lovers (also by Bell Shakespeare). It was so much fun! Basically, in this productions, the stars of the show were the mechanicals (who were cut entirely from The Lovers).
The opening scenes were swapped around, so we start with the mechanicals rehearsing their play, and then go to the lovers in the court of the duke. And the climax of the show was the mechanicals performing the play, and it brought the house down. The physical comedy was masterful. (Pyramus trying to draw his sword and finding it missing! The agonising pause while someone slides the prop across the stage to him! The discovery that the blade is too long for him to stab himself in the heart with! The world's most awkward death scene!) Really, everything about the mechanicals was comedy gold.
The rest of the characters and storylines were still compelling. There was a cast of eight, who switched roles between the three groups: the mechanicals, the lovers, and the fairies. It was seamless and elegant.
Puck was surprisingly sombre as a character. Almost flat. They had a few moments of humour, but mostly played the straight man. Serious rather than playful. It was an interesting choice. I guess the production needed the fairies to be less chaotic, to emphasise the hilarity of the mechanicals. (The fairies were even dressed in plain black robes, in contrast to the colourful costumes of the mechanicals and the lovers.)
Anyway, it's always fascinating to see different interpretations, and it was cool to see a production give so much love to the mechanicals.
It was interesting to see the original play, after having watched the musical version, The Lovers (also by Bell Shakespeare). It was so much fun! Basically, in this productions, the stars of the show were the mechanicals (who were cut entirely from The Lovers).
The opening scenes were swapped around, so we start with the mechanicals rehearsing their play, and then go to the lovers in the court of the duke. And the climax of the show was the mechanicals performing the play, and it brought the house down. The physical comedy was masterful. (Pyramus trying to draw his sword and finding it missing! The agonising pause while someone slides the prop across the stage to him! The discovery that the blade is too long for him to stab himself in the heart with! The world's most awkward death scene!) Really, everything about the mechanicals was comedy gold.
The rest of the characters and storylines were still compelling. There was a cast of eight, who switched roles between the three groups: the mechanicals, the lovers, and the fairies. It was seamless and elegant.
Puck was surprisingly sombre as a character. Almost flat. They had a few moments of humour, but mostly played the straight man. Serious rather than playful. It was an interesting choice. I guess the production needed the fairies to be less chaotic, to emphasise the hilarity of the mechanicals. (The fairies were even dressed in plain black robes, in contrast to the colourful costumes of the mechanicals and the lovers.)
Anyway, it's always fascinating to see different interpretations, and it was cool to see a production give so much love to the mechanicals.
