Theatre Review
Royal Shakespeare Company present A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Joe Dixon (Bottom), Andera Harris (Titania) Photo by John Haynes
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Greg Doran
Courtyard Theatre
9 May – 13 Nov 08
A review by Kate Parsons for EXTRA! EXTRA!
This is a beautiful production. At a full three hours long, my attention was sustained by the seductive elegance of the design, some witty and interesting staging and consistently strong performances from this tight ensemble. Francis O’Connor’s set and costume designs were magical and indulgent while elegantly simple. A partially transparent large moon progressed gradually diagonally above the stage through the production, reflecting back at us in the mirrored back wall. Glass baubles were suspended above us and were occasionally illuminated and lowered, filling the three dimensions of the space. As the stage lights dimmed, we were surrounded with magical starlight. Titania wore a fabulous turquoise corset with endlessly full diaphanous skirts that draped gorgeously over the edge of her crescent moon shaped bower. Oberon wore a wonderful sweeping brown cloak, Puck’s shaggy britches and little horns on his forehead were delightfully reminiscent of Pan and Titania’s band of fairies was wonderfully filthy. One of them sported a jacket tailored from gloves. Lysander and Demetrius were visually set in stark contrast as were Hermia and Helena at the beginning of the play. By the end, their costumes are so scant and tatty, that there is little to distinguish them. This production really captures the immaturity and youth of the lovers in stark contrast with the far greater passion and depth in the relationships of Theseus and Hippolyta and Oberon and Titania. The fairies were a tight, energetic, imaginatively used chorus. As Hermia and Lysander fall asleep in the forest, the fairies raid their luggage and then create a living forest around them from their stolen underwear on clothes hangers. After the interval, with the house lights still up, they systematically tormented three of the mechanicals. Quince’s bicycle is dismantled as he cycles across the stage, leaving him confused and frightened with only the handle-bars left. Another is chased across the stage by a man-sized paper puppet, running after him in a hilariously realistic manner. Puppetry is used extensively and mostly to great effect in this production. Samuel Dutton’s control and expression through his puppets is superb and precise. The Indian Boy is a puppet operated with great sensitivity. At the end of the play when he is held and controlled by Oberon and Titania, he is genuinely moving. Bottom’s donkey head was a full head mask made from the head of Teddy the Donkey. The influence from Trestle’s Audrie Woodhouse was very apparent as Joe Dixon manipulated and controlled the mask to maximum comic impact. The audience, including several school parties, was utterly engaged with this production. As an introduction to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it is a delight.
Stratford-upon Avon Royal Shakespeare Company The Courtyard Theatre Southern Lane Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire CV37 6BB Box Office: 0844 800 1114 (Calls cost 5p per min. from a BT landline)
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, Andera Harris (Titania) Photo by John Haynes.jpg)
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