A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Youth Theatre Company's of A Midsummer Night's Dream was absolutely delightful. It was entertaining, funny and certainly left you on the edge of your seat. I was most impressed with the way they made Shakespeare's dialogue sound so natural, using their voices and movements to complement his complex use of language. They dealt with the fantasy aspect of the play surprisingly well too, given that the stage was small and the audience was close enough to see through any special effects they could have been trying to conceal.
The actors and actresses were amazing as well. I loved the way Puck moved exactly as I thought a mischievous fairy would; it wasn't over-the-top, exaggerated movements, but Puck moved as if he was in water, and he was simultaneously energetic and flowy as well. Molly Potter did an incredible job playing him. Like Puck, the Fairy Queen had a very specific energy to her, and the audience could feel power exuding from her during her argument with the Fairy King. The human queen, Hippolyta, on the other hand, was softer and calmer, even though she still had a stubborn air about her. It was interesting to see Isobel Reed, who played both these iconic characters, move between them. She was able to switch and get into each character quickly, which made the whole play that much more believable.
The other main characters were great as well, including those who played the four mortals, Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius. The four actors, Lily Hazell, Euan Cole, Imogen Mardell and William Gray, respectively, commanded the stage brilliantly. They served up a perfect blend between comedy and romance, and I really enjoyed watching the fight scene between Helena and Hermia, where Lysander and Demetrius were trying to protect Helena.
The play was executed nicely, with great lighting and pretty costumes. It drew you into the world of fairies and kings and queens without making the whole production feel cheesy. The audience seemed to have enjoyed it as well, as I could tell from all the laughter coming from them. Thinking back, I feel like the fact that it was in a smaller venue than the productions in Stage One actually helped the production. It made the play more personal, and it was easier to connect with the different characters. Because the audience was so close up, the actors and actresses also had to ensure that their facial expressions were always in character, and they were amazingly consistent in that aspect.
It was magical, funny and a production that I would definitely recommend to anyone.
