A Midsummer Night's Dream

Set in the beautiful Lincoln Lawns, outdoor Shakespeare is bound to be a treat. Presenting A Midsummer Night's Dream in such stunning a setting at sunset is a recipe for true magic. 

The setting of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Photo taken Jamie Marcus Productions' Facebook page: from https://www.facebook.com/jamiemarcusproductions/photos  

The cast were terrific, each perfectly chosen for their role and the chemistry between them was spot on as they bounced off each other's energy. The charming Oberon commanded the stage whenever he appeared, giving a real air of authority to the role. He instructed Puck, who was mischievous and animated yet clearly devoted to his Fairy King. Titania brought sass to the role - she was Queen of the fairies and she knew it. Bottom is perhaps the most fun character to play but the most difficult to pull off, yet this Bottom was as hilarious as could be while still evoking feelings of sympathy. The mechanicals stepped up to match him with their own colourful personalities and the production of Pyramus and Thisbe left audience members in fits of laughter. The four lovers had fantastic timing and physical theatre skills, bringing out the comedy and emotion in Shakespeare's lines while following the fast pace that their scenes require.

It was brilliant to see the stage from Wind in the Willows being adapted for this play. The riverbank of the daytime was transformed into a magical woodland with very little effort thanks to the surrounding trees and setting sun. The costumes added to this: although vibrant and colourful, the forest tones of the fairies' outfits contributed to the overall atmosphere and made it feel like you were watching woodland nymphs go about their nightly mischief. 

It is impossible for me to write about a Shakespeare production without a word about that particular production's relevance. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a favourite among directors, performers and audiences as it is rich with possibilities - the magical element makes it feel like anything is possible. This director chose to keep casting straightforward, only swapping genders for characters such as Puck and the mechanicals where it doesn't really matter, and the text itself was uncut and unchanged. This gave the production a traditional feel, keeping things as per the text without any distracting gimmicks. In today's times, bringing this play back to basics felt poignant and desperately needed: right now we want familiarity and security, and something to simply make us laugh without having to think too hard about it. 

This play was a celebration of theatre, laughter, and being together. A real treat and a true triumph, and everyone involved should be incredibly proud.

Ten Feet Tall Theatre: A Midsummer Night's Dream (30/03/19)

One of my favourite Shakespeare plays came to Aberdeen as Ten Feet Tall Theatre presented their creative and inventive take on A Midsummer Night's Dream.

I'll begin with my favourite element of this production: the way in which parallels between the human and fairy worlds were highlighted, which was achieved by having the same actors play different parts. Puck became Philostrate; Oberon became Theseus; Titania became Hippolyta; the rude mechanicals became the fairies. Their relationships with one another in the fairy world was reflected in the human world, and this parallel gave Theseus' conclusion that the four lovers should marry who they please a little something extra following Oberon's sympathy toward the humans.

The performance began with a white setting, and Puck entered the scene (a surprise to anyone familiar with the script). The character is traditionally played by a man, but Stephanie McGregor brought a cheeky femininity to the role and made the part her own. Before the action began, she gave a knowing smile to the audience and place a coat over her costume that would identify her as Philostrate, and left the stage.

Theseus (Mark Wood) has words with Hermia (Danielle Jam) while Egeus (Stewart Aitken) and Demetrius (Ewan Petrie) look on.

The stage was transformed with a burst of confetti as the audience prepared to be transported to the fairy forest. The set remained minimal with only a table at the back acting as a adaptable piece of earth and the curtains lifted to reveal branches and greenery to give the look of a forest. This left the entire front portion of the stage open for actors to make use of - and I dare say not an inch of that stage was unused!

The chemistry between the characters was undeniable. My heart ached for poor Helena (Rebecca Wilkie) as she yearned after Demetrius (Ewan Petrie), and the mutual adoration between Hermia (Danielle Jam) and Lysander (Cristian Ortega) was romantic without being cliche. Likewise, the resolution after Oberon's (Mark Wood) trick on Titania (Belle Jones) was heartwarming, and this translated easily to Theseus and Hippolyta's marriage.

But, as the four lovers had their emotions tampered with (I'm looking at you, Puck) their love turned to resentment and friendships were tested. The choreography of the climactic scene with all four on stage was impressive, yet executed effortlessly by the actors. Each of them pulled and pushed at one another as the fight was moved around the stage in perfect pace, one only avoiding another as they move to start on someone else.

I must, as well, make a special mention to the actors playing Peter Quince (Stewart Aitken) and Bottom (Ross Allan). These two together were hilarious, as Peter Quince incompetently directs a show that Bottom is determined to over-act in and make all about himself. Their exaggerated and detailed personalities led to comical interactions with the other artisans (and fairies, in Bottom's case) and whenever they came onto the stage I knew I was in for more laughter.

Oberon (Mark Wood) and Puck (Stephanie McGregor)

The final joke of the play - that is, the performance of Pyramus and Thisbe - had me in absolute stitches. How the actors managed to keep a straight face, I'll never know! Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong: from the wall not having its essential chink, to the backdrop which says "Pyramus and Thisbe" being upside down, to Bottom breaking his character repeatedly to explain his own performance as Pyramus.

There are, of course, many more things I can compliment about this performance: the Shakespearean verse was spoken beautifully with Scottish accents; the attention to detail in the costumes gave characters individuality; the sound and lighting effects were subtle yet contributed to the magical atmosphere.

Titania (Belle Jones) and her fairies attending to Bottom's (Ross Allan) many itches

I thoroughly enjoyed this production and caught myself smiling almost entirely throughout. Despite knowing the play so well, I was enchanted by the magical world and totally captivated by the characters. This production proves that you do not need to travel to London or Stratford to see a Shakespeare done well - there are perfectly refreshing productions to be seen right on your doorstep!


All photos taken from Ten Feet Tall Theatre's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tenfeettallaberdeen/