By Emma
Link: https://americanshakespearecenter.com/blkfrstv_catalog
Available until: You can buy this on
its own or in a package with Othello or Twelfth Night or you can buy all 3
together at a discount which sounds like buy 2, get 1 free. If you buy a
package, you have two weeks to watch it. I’m not sure about if you only buy
one.
I have seen more polished Midsummer
Night’s Dreams than this one but director Nathan Winkelstein has created a
very funny production with some really creative ideas which I love and they
perform it with lots of enthusiasm which is really lovely to watch. They’re
performing at the Blackfriars Playhouse, which is a really beautiful theatre
with a gorgeous wooden stage and you can also see some of the seats right at
the side of the stage.
There is a lot of music in this production. There’s jazz, there’s country, you never know what style they’re going to sing in next and it’s great. The cast has some great singers, especially Madeline Calais, who also plays Philostrate, Puck and the fight captain, and some very good musicians. There is also some really enjoyable choreography from Nancy Anderson and fight director John Paul Scheidler.
The lovers are really well
characterised. They’re played as you expect them to be but they take it a
little bit further. Mia Wurgaft (who is also the Assistant Music Director,
there’s a lot of doubling and even tripling in this cast) is hilarious as
Helena. She’s really quirky which works well because you can imagine Demetrius
finding her a bit weird and not wanting to be around her but when they’re in
the wood together, he realises how lovely she is and whatever happens with the
spell, he really loves her.
Michael Moret plays it very cool as
Demetrius and he also plays Moth, one of the fairies. Except in this production
they’re walking, talking trees. Andrew Tung is a lovely geeky Lysander, a funny
and really sweet Snug (I’m sure I’ve never seen those roles doubled before,
isn’t Lysander usually watching the play?) and he’s also the music director.
Sara Linares who plays Hermia is really sweet, even when she gets angry.
I love the way Topher Embrey plays
Bottom. He plays him as a totally camp diva with a pink scarf (which also comes
in very useful during his transformation) and he’s adorable. Alexis Baigue who
plays Flute (and also Peaseblossom, one of the fairies) is also great and he is
especially good when Flute plays Thisbe. Sophia Barrata is a harried Quince and
also plays Cobweb the fairy. Kenn Hopkins Jr (Egeus, Snout and Mustardseed)
might be my favourite Wall ever.
Oberon was a total surprise, I’m not
even going to tell you what he’s wearing, you’ll have to wait and see! But I
love the way Chris Bellinger (who also plays Theseus) makes him so different
from usual. Andrea Bellamore is a really elegant Hippolyta, then she’s quite
wild as Titania. But Titania actually looks quite tame next to Puck. It’s a
really amazing performance from Madeline Calais who I’ve mentioned before. Her
movements were quite like an animal but she’s really beautiful and sexual.
There was one bit I found a bit dodgy
where Hermia and Helena’s dresses get torn off but the rest of it was a lot of
fun and I really enjoyed it.
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