Here is the official review for amateur dramatics group Shepperton Player's for their production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream performed at the Riverside Arts Centre,
Sunbury-on-thames on April 22nd-April 25th 2015
written by Just You and B ©
A Midsummer Night’s Dream ~ William
Shakespeare | Review
For many people A Midsummer Night’s Dream forms their
introduction to Shakespeare. It is much studied in schools and a favourite
(often open-air) production for both professional and amateur performers. In
recent years producers have updated the action and setting. This production however
directed by Steve Lewis took a traditional approach, but with enough
interesting touches to arouse the audience’s curiosity and hold their
attention. Director Steve said with regard to his production, quoting actor
Richard Wilson ‘if you live forever what do you do all day, every day…sex,
alcohol and drugs probably had a lot to do with it…’ These elements were
effectively present throughout the production.
Steve was fortunate in being
able to cast a wide age range of characters- old and new faces, which was great
to see! The lovers were the right age for their parts and all four successfully
conveyed passionate teenage love, frustration with the older generation and
determination to take matters into their own hands. Each found a
characterisation that suited their role: Alex
Blackie was a youthful Lysander, brimming with energy and vigour and
contrasted well with the more mature Demetrius of Alex Johnson whose transition from macho, arrogance to doe-eyed
fool, lusting after Helena, was very effective. Jasmine Ella presented a beautiful, aloof and vulnerable Helena, a
lovely performance slightly marred by her tendency to speak a little too
quickly- some lines were lost to the audience. Emma Heaton gave a strong performance as the feisty Hermia so sure
of the constancy of Lysander’s love, so perplexed when that love seemed to
falter and so determined to fight tooth and nail for his return! By the end of
the play all four had visibly grown up ready for marriage.
Emma Dow's Titania was a warm and sensuous Fairy Queen. Whilst she spoke with
authority in her confrontation with Oberon there was delicacy and musicality in
her poetry. Her cascading curls and floaty costume gave her a mystical sensual appeal-
lucky Bottom! Bad Luck Oberon! Stephen
Bentley, (Oberon) knows how to perform Shakespeare! His beautiful voice and
understanding of the text enriched a strong performance with subtle insights:
his unsettling drunkenness at his first entrance suggesting a vulnerability not
often seen in this character, his reaction when eavesdropping and spiteful
plotting with Puck. Will Allen gave
a spectacularly energetic performance as Puck. His physical and dynamic vocal
performance was full of mischief and cunning keeping the audience spell-bound! His
conspiratorial relationship with his master, Oberon heightened his
characterisation. He really was Shakespeare’s ‘shrewd and knavish sprite’.
The fairy troupe were all
exquisite to look at. Each brought an individual trait to the fairy circle: Cobweb’s
(Amanda Smith) maternal comforting
of the younger fairies and her self-assured encounter with Puck, Peaseblossom’s
(Johanna Turner) little sneezes and twirling
frolics, Moth’s (Olivia Denton)
flowing movements and confident stage presence and Mustardseed’s (Sarah Jamieson) gorgeous Pre-Raphaelite
sultriness. Their dancing, eavesdropping and peeping round pillars was charming
and captivating.
Now to the members of the
Court: Graham Brierley portrayed
Theseus as wise and caring, his glory days as heroic warrior well and truly in
the past, ready to embrace domesticity with his Amazon Queen, Hippolyta played
with grace and dignity by Vicky Prince. The
roles of Egeus (Steve Lewis) and
Philostrate (Louis Whittle) although
small were a positive contribution.
The team of mechanicals worked
well as a group led by Keith Doyle as
Peter Quince. His fatherly attitude towards them reined in Bottom’s exuberance
yet encouraged the others. His perplexity at their incompetence and
disappointment at the reception of their play was beautifully captured. Peter Smith brought enthusiasm and
vigour to the larger than life character of Bottom. His sense of
self-importance came across both as a man and as a ‘donkey’. His confused looking
behind him when he ‘brayed’ was a delightful touch. Flute (Alfie Batten), Snout (Richard
Fordyce), Snug (Dominic Prince) and
Starveling (Ron Millinger) all acted
successfully as out of their depth at the prospect of performing a play. Unfortunately
for this reviewer, despite all their good intentions the Mechanicals’ play,
which should be the humorous high point of the production, was a little lacking
in comedy.
However their inept
‘amateur’ acting had it’s funny moments: Thisbe’s breaking voice and the
stop-start dying moments as she swapped the side of her fatal wound, Wall’s facial
reactions. (It would have been a nice touch if he had walked square on towards
the wings before realising he had to walk sideways), Moonshine’s devastation
when his light fails and his general awkwardness, Pyramus coming out of
character to ‘explain’ the play to the Duke and for young Snug, his ferocious
ravaging of Thisbe’s scarf.
The set consisting of static
Grecian pillars draped with ivy was impressive and served well throughout the
play; it gave the subtle effect of a tree filled forest. It was a stroke of
genius to use the workshop and backstage for the entrance of the grand couple.
It would have been nice to see more use of it. The forestage could have been put
to better use. The fairy bower was unnecessary, the appearance was not in
keeping with the rest of the set nor was it functionally used. As mentioned
before, the Mechanicals’ play was lacking in laughs. This was possibly due to
the constraints of the set. The static pillars limited the amount of
performance space available for dramatic action between Flute, Lion and Pyramus.
The lighting by Alistair Joel and Rachel Millinger was well executed especially the dramatic
transition from the sunny court to the depths of the fairy forest. There were
subtle changes to give the appearance of nighttime when the mechanicals
gathered. This reflected the uneasiness and dark theme in Shakespeare’s writing.
When the Mechanicals’ performance was illuminated it felt as if the audience
were part of the court and then there was a dramatic transition for Oberon’s
and Titania’s final entrance to bless the house.
The musical fanfare from Monteverdi’s Orfeo was well chosen and contemporary
to the time of the play. The trumpeting upon Quince’s entrance made for a great
comedic effect. The spooky spoken soundscape for the fairy spell added ethereal
atmosphere. More use of the music would have been beneficial to smooth over
scene changes, perhaps a theme for the mechanicals entrance to give them more identity?
The costumes, in the very
capable hands of Chantal, Pat and Carole were beautiful and added greatly to the look of the
production. The fairy kingdom was exquisitely dressed and great attention had
been paid to Puck’s costume. Maybe Oberon would have benefitted from an
additional sweeping garment to suggest his ethereal status. The lovers also
were appropriately dressed and their change of costume for their weddings was
well thought out. There was I felt a slight problem with Hippolyta’s costuming
in that to the audience it resembled Helena’s so closely. Hippolyta is an
Amazon Queen and perhaps this could have been reflected in what she wore. The
Mechanicals’ costumes were rather clean for workmen but otherwise appropriate.
The character costumes in their play seemed too high-class and this detracted
from the comedic effect of their play. How would ‘hempen
homespuns’ have found such a perfect wig for Snug’s Lion and expensive fur
waist coat. Also Thisbe’s rather beautiful wig and modern-day scarf seemed
wrong for this rough and ready troupe. On the other hand Pyramus seemed to have
no costume at all- surely some armour could have been rustled up from Snout’s
workshop? The construction for the infamous donkey headdress was disappointing.
Although volume was not compromised, the appearance was. Being so central to
the plot, a flocked latex horse head would have given the scene more punch!
I was lucky to be able to
see 2 performances of this show and was interested to see the development in
characterisation as the run progressed and as the actors became more confident
in their roles. This production has continued a strong current season of
well-cast, and well-designed shows for Shepperton Players.
“If this review has
offended,
Think but this, and all is
mended:
That you have but laboured
here
Whilst these visions did
appear.”
(Apologies to Shakespeare)
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