Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Peter Evans
Bell Shakespeare
The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre to 15 June
Reviewed by Len Power 7 June 2024
One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ mixes magic, madness and make-believe with the pain and joy of love, leading to a happy ending. Along the way, we follow the young lovers into a forest, where fairies employ their mischievous magic, and a group of amateur actors are busy rehearsing their play. How these strands amusingly crash together is the fun and delight of this play.
Peter Evans’ production begins, surprisingly, with the opening scenes re-ordered. The mechanicals, an amateur group of performers come together to rehearse the play, Pyramus and Thisbe, to be performed at a wedding. The actors’ actual performance of their play at the end of the show now creates unexpected and successful bookends to the main action, This gives an added dimension to the dream-like quality of the play.
In a moment of theatrical magic, those same performers suddenly become the lovers and other characters now being judged by Theseus, who is only a few days away from his own wedding to Hippolyta. The young lovers choose to escape into the forest rather than submit to the judgement of Theseus.
The beauty of this production is how clear the complex plot machinations are kept as the fairies work their magic on the lovers and the mechanicals attempt to rehearse their play. It’s very funny, but there is a serious side to it all as, at the heart of the play, we identify with the lovers feeling the pain of rejection.
The ensemble of eight play all the roles with great skill and clarity, giving each a colourful life of their own. Ella Price, Ahunim Abebe, Isabel Burton, Mike Howlett, Matu Ngaropo, Richard Pyros, Imogen Sage and Laurence Young deftly perform their roles with a superb command of the language of the play as well as the comic timing, physical ability and energy that the roles demand.
The scene where the lovers’ quarrel escalates while they are under the magic spell’s influence, is a standout of clarity, inventive staging and performance. Played at a furious pace, it’s remarkably successful, making us laugh but still feel the pain of the characters at the same time.
The abstract setting, designed by Teresa Negroponte, is a towering presence throughout the play – a forest one minute and a ruined barn for rehearsals or a court room the next. Charged with atmosphere by the subtle lighting design of Benjamin Cisterne, it works superbly.
The staging of this much-loved play is hugely successful and enjoyable. It’s thoughtfully done, clearly delivered and a ton of fun.
Photos supplied by the production
Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.
