On Thursday night we went to see '
A Midsummer Night's Dream' at the Novello Theatre, just off The Strand (the previous name for the theatre). I want to see more Shakesspeare live and this is a play that, oddly I've never seen, so I jumped at the chance of reduced price tickets. I understood the offer as soon as we were seated - the theatre (or at least the dress circle) was less than half full. Is this a result of the recession or the production?
Now, I'd had a bit of a shit day on Thursday, indeed a shit week, so bear that in mind in my review of the production. Also bear in mind that I actually nodded off a couple of times in the latter parts of the first act... sorry, people, I think it was more me than the production that did that...
I approve of the Royal Shakespeare Company (which Chris renamed the Really Silly Company) and their mission to keep Shakespeare alive and played live, not just read. They count really big names and really excellent actors in their extended rosters over the years, but that's no guarantee of the quality of any particular production. And that was one of the flaws of this production - it couldn't quite decide what it was.
I loved the set, a mirrored floor and backdrop with a huge red sun in one corner of the stage that gradually, ever so slowly, became blue as it travelled across the top of the stage as night falls. I loved the millions of small lights that descended from the heavens whenever the fairies appeared for their scenes, swiftly changing from the 'real' world of the half-world of Fairyland. I loved the twittering and movement of the tribe of fairies ruled over by Oberon and Titania, the wicked tricks they played on the humans when they stumble into the woods. I loved Titania sleeping in her bower, a big sickle moon that raised up in the air, and when she flies on the too-too obvious wires, but I forgive that.
I didn't like the humans. The Duke was dire and couldn't control his shuffling, stamping feet. The young lovers couldn't quite decide if they were playing in a yoof programme like 'Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps' or in a comedy or in a stately entertainment. They seemed to be all over the shop. And the rude mechanicals putting on a show for the Duke's wedding got it about half right some of the time and then descended into playing to the lowest common denominator. Bottom was a bit unfunny. The 'Pyramis & Thisby' scene at the end seemed to go on forever with Thisby (obviously played by a man) kissing The Wall's arse - The Wall was played by a bloke in red underpants - and looking up into the circle for the expected laughter from the traditional school group as he coughed and spluttered in feigned shock at what he's just done. Now, I don't have a problem with being coarse - lots of Shakespeare's scenes and language are coarse and funny, but this just smacked of playing to the gallery and schoolboy/girl humour - ooo rude, points and laughs.
Of the fairies, Oberon liked flapping his big coat around and stood there watching the other scenes - he must've been bored. I liked Titania, a statuesque figure in deepest sparkly blue and I thought Puck was excellent, just the right mix of playing a playing a role and knowingly playing to the audience. I also liked his baggy trousers, reminiscent of the swans trousers in Matthew Bourne's 'Swan Lake' (which automatically gets a thumbs up from me). I know the twittering and jabbering of the troop of fairies could get annoying but I liked them. And the myriad of fairy lights every time they appeared.
I'd decided there was a 'Two Pints Of Lager' flavour to the production early on and then, at half time, found out that Kathryn Drysdale (one of the 'Two Pints cast) was playing Hermia. Whether she was cast as a telly name, as a 'Two Pints' person or because of her acting ability, we'll never know. I quite liked her but, in some of the scenes you could almost see her acting the same as she would with the rest of the 'Two Pints' cast.
Overall, I'd say this warrants a wavering thumb - some good bits (thumb up) and some over-long and over-played bits (thumb down). Still, other than being too tired to really appreciate it, I enjoyed it and I'm pleased I've seen it.
