Reader Reviews
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Amanda Harris as Titania is incoherent. Like others, I found the Mechanicals' cod-Brummie accents irritating. But - everything else about the production thrilled me. Go see it - if only to see the very funny inter-play between Puck and Oberon. - 217.207.157.89) | 06 Feb 06 |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream can almost be described as "a play of three halves", in that it has three major elements, disparate but inextricably interlinked, which must all succeed to make any production of it truly enjoyable. And I am delighted to report that the RSC's latest version, seen during its Stratford run, triumphantly achieves this triple success, with each of the elements – the inter-relationships of the Athenian lovers, the discord between Oberon and Titania in the forest and the play within the play put on by Peter Quince and his fellow "rude mechanicals" – working magnificently and, moreover, combining superbly into an evening of magic and laughter. The opening scene in Athens, with its minimalist presentation, gave no hint of the wonder contained in the Athenian wood. Some years ago, the scene change from the city to the forest in an RSC production of The Dream earned its own round of applause, so much did it seem to have happened by magic, and the effect created on this occasion by our first sight of Stephen Brimson Lewis's forest set was a similar one. Against a deep blue cyloramic sky, complete with stars and other heavenly bodies, and with a huge globe that, with the aid of Tim Mitchell's superb lighting, could equally represent the moon or the sun, this "forest" was made not of trees but of a huge pile of wooden junk. Why its effect was so enchanting, I do not know – but it was! The fairies themselves were not gossamer-winged sylphs but punk Gothic puppets, rather sinister in aspect (for example Mustardseed's head fell off whenever he spoke). And the changeling boy was represented by a mannekin so beautiful that it was no wonder Joe Dixon's Oberon and Amanda Harris's Titania had quarrelled over him, and who was capable of making our own hearts turn over by a simple movement of his head or arm. Into this – for us dreamlike but for them understandably nightmarish - world came the four young Athenians (Sinead Keegan, Caitlin Mottram, Trystan Gravelle and Oscar Pearce) whose romantic sufferings were only heightened by the interference – and mistakes! – of Jonathan Slinger's superbly laid back and insolent Puck and who put so much physical effort into their quarrels that we wondered where they found the energy to speak the words as well! And the evening was crowned by the efforts of the (clearly Brummie) mechanicals, whose version of Pyramus and Thisbe reduced us to tears of laughter but also moved us with its depiction of Thisbe's plight (superbly performed by Flute, aka Jamie Ballard). From Malcolm Storry as Bottom, playing the would-be heroic Pyramus, through Paul Chahidi's Peter Quince, whose inner feelings were perhaps revealed by his attempts to comfort Flute, to David Rogers's Snout, in the character of an acutely embarrassed Wall, the whole cast of the play within the play showed a magnificent incompetence that truly highlighted the skill of the real-life actors. Live The Dream- go and see this wonderful show! - 194.75.129.200) | 05 Nov 05 |
| This has to be one of the best productions i have seen! It's magical and romantic, coming together to make a magical performance! - 88.110.204.31) | 29 Oct 05 |
| Excellent and very original rendition of this play. I have never seen the play within a play so funny. There are moments when one thinks the audience will not stop laughing. Five of us attended, and all of us (including two theatre directors)came away with only superlatives. I would see it again! - 207.200.116.200) | 10 Jul 05 |
| really quite confusing. funny during the machanicals play but otherwise frankly a bit naff! midsummer nights dream is an amazing play and if you're only going to see it once dont see this version. - 80.42.117.172) | 27 Jun 05 |
| This play is one of the best productions i've seen (of any play) for a very long time. The technical fx and set are stunning (though, the 'forest' set did somewhat remind me of the set of Cats tipped on it's side...) and the characters are extemely well portrayed for the most part - particularly puck, who seems ever entertained by his own antics, and somewhat world-weary. There are aspects of the production that are a little confusing like the opening sword fight, the modern but non-specific setting and the mechanicals accent. But that aside, the mechanicals play is extemely funny - and in fact somewhat reminiscent of the other (reduced) shakespeare company, with a completely childish, but hilarious gimmmick of using wall's legs as the chink - much dodgy innuendo ensued... Overall, this is not to be missed. It has just the right amount of magic, comedy and dark other-worldly-ness (with much interesting use of both inanimate and human puppetry). This is an evening well spent. - 195.137.59.223) | 18 May 05 |
| Didn't like it and have seen much funnier productions - Oberon and Titania both looked and sounded scrappy, scruffy and non-specific. Puck was funny but not even vaguely magical and as a result didn't work properly. Best performance was Paul Chahidi's Quince - and even that was hampered by the stupid Brummie conception of the mechanicals. - 195.194.148.2) | 19 Apr 05 |
| Magical and very funny. I loved Joe Dixon's Oberon, who spoke the verse beautifully and had real if fairy majesty. Puck was very amusing and world-weary. The lovers were superb and for once I could tell Lysander and Demetrius apart (previously I've wondered how Hermia could tell the difference never mind care). Malcolm Storry as Bottom was a bit OTT but the rude mechanicals usually jar on me anyway. Here they were all good and the chink in the Wall was a well-grown specimen (I did wnder why they had chosen such a physical specimen under his later use). Overall a tremendous performance. Congratulations to Greg Doran for another winner. - 193.118.206.221) | 19 Apr 05 |
| It's not bad. But it isn't very good - the mechanicals would fail were it not for the one good joke (the wall using his legs as the 'hole' - and this is, anyway, borrowed from the Joseph Papp production in the 80s). Doran would be a good director if only he'd strip back all the sets and additions. He choked As You Like It with bloody wool, and his Much Ado was limited by a massive permanent set. His best work; Taming of the Shrew; Othello and All's Well - show less set, and forego the desire to 'fill' the stratford stage as he does here. And Joe Dixon doesn't seem to have a clue what it's all about - like in Roman Actor he drones the beautiful Oberon speeches in an RSC-impersonator sort of way. The conception of the fairies is poor. The lovers are good, but not astounding - other than Hermia, who really does look dwarfish! Basically, it's not brilliantly directed or well designed, which would give this play and production real quality - as has been seen in all the major successes - Grandage's at Sheffield, Adrian Noble, Michael Boyd, and the inimitable Brook production. - 195.194.148.2) | 15 Apr 05 |
| A brilliant performance very funny and worth the 4 hour journey. I loved every minute, i will definatly be going back to view another play of theirs - 62.252.96.13) | 12 Apr 05 |
| Another success for Greg Doran. Ironically at a time when the RST redevelopment plans are finally settled, Doran shows the advantages of the existing arrangement! This is a beautiful and magical production with a wonderful cast - for once Bottom does not entirely steal the show. The fairies are more earthly and elemental and this works well. There is a distinct audience "buzz" at the interval and end of the show - always a good sign of a great production. I usually dislike this play, but this production had me hooked throughout. Do not miss this production. - 62.252.0.10) | 12 Apr 05 |
| Visually stunning,a must see Dream, that mesmorises and intrigues throughout with Bottom and Puck outstanding, although the production is more more magical than comedic in it's emphasis, which is not to say there aren't some hilarious moments, particularly with the wall, where we get to see much more of his red pants than you would ever imagine!Also, the brummie accents work a treat. They're bostin'. - 195.70.71.170) | 07 Apr 05 |
| Not bad, but pretty incoherent. Mechanicals hampered by a poor conception in Birmingham accents... really pretty irrelevant. Quince was funny, and the 'chink' joke was, but they found little comedy elsewhere. Joe Dixon as Oberon doesn't seem to have a clue what he's saying, and the fairies generally are weak. Puck is mediocre. Lovers are by far the best thign about it; particularly Helena, who gives a stunning performance. Not in the class of Doran's Much Ado or Taming by a long shot though. - 62.254.64.17) | 04 Apr 05 |
| Went to the first night tonight, 31st March - it was magical, mystical, beautiful. Do not miss this, it will cheer your heart. - 62.255.32.13) | 31 Mar 05 |
