A Midsummer Night's Dream
Mon, 10 Mar 2003, 01:42 amWalter Plinge6 posts in thread
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Mon, 10 Mar 2003, 01:42 amWHAT: A Midsummer Night's Dream
WHEN: Saturday, March 8 (2003)
WHERE: Roleystone Theatre, Roleystone (WA)
William Shakespeare dreamt of being remembered. He wanted to write and he wanted his plays to be a success. Unfortunately, several of his early works received a less than enthusiastic response.
Shakespeare made a bargain with the Lord of Dreams. In return for inspiration, Will agreed to write two plays celebrating dreams - one at the start of his career and one at the end. Morpheus had an additional reason for this bargain: although they had departed this world for their own, Morpheus did not want the Faerie folk to be forgotten. He ensured that, "King Auberon and Queen Titania will be remembered by mortals, until this age is gone."
Arguably the first of Shakespeare's 'truly great plays', A Midsummer Night's Dream also seems to be the favourite of many people. Maybe it's the novel and memorable characters - it is one of only two completely original plays of Will's, not based on historical events or other people's stories - or maybe it's the damn funny situations. Regardless, it is presented with great frequency (not as often as Cosi, but then, what is?) and people keep going to see it.
Roleystone Theatre's current production is minimalistic and stylish, dependent upon the characters we've all heard of to carry the tale. A very young cast (there seemed to be only three performers over the age of, say, thirty) but they delivered the text well.
Of the mischievously manipulated lovers, the girls fared best. Kim Wallace (Helena) nearly stole the show. The first to show any real emotion, rather than just deliver the lines, she deftly moved from sympathetic to just plain pathetic as she threw herself at the object of her desires. However, it quickly becomes hilarious once Puck's love potion works its magic. Incredibly physical, extraordinarily flexible, and hot? - even her shadow oozes sex appeal. A great comic (and erotic) performance.
Nicola Oxley played the sensible one (Hermia). We know this because she was wearing the biggest pants ever worn by anyone on stage ever. Even so, we still felt for her after she was rejected. Lysander (Scott Smythe) managed the physical stuff well, casually tossing around the two girls.
I tend to forget the mortals. When I think of The Dream, I think of Titania & Oberon, Puck & Bottom (okay, yes, Bottom is sort of mortal). Melissa Merchant (Titania) and Rory Cornelius (Oberon) exuded power and authority. Melissa must have a dancing background because she glides across the stage - very regal. Nice costumes and make-up too.
Speaking of oozing sex appeal, that was the sexiest hobgoblin I've ever seen. Director Paul Treasure obviously has a thing for putting Fiona Forster in black leather, and who am I to complain? Inspired indeed by Uma Thurman in The Avengers (and possibly Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix? Mmmm, Carrie-Anne Moss...), Fiona moved about the stage mischievously and lasciviously, delivering the play's finest lines with aplomb. It took a minute or so, but I soon realised (with much amusement) that she was carrying a tiny toy Eeyore early on....
Peter Carr was Bottom. Not quite as sexy as Fiona or Kim, he still allowed himself to be stripped down by four nubile nymphets, and who was he to complain? A nice subdued performance from Pear, and if you're wondering how Bottom can be subdued, then you don't know Pear. He recovered his dignity (somewhat) in the final scene and it was nice to see genuine emotion when he caught up with his compatriots.
While we're on the subject, the final scene didn't really work for me. It seemed a huge anticlimax after the enjoyable forest scenes. The reunited travelling players have the opportunity to cap the production with a manic performance in the court of Theseus, but it seemed a bit forced and flat. It also seemed a pity that the loudest audience laughter arose when one of the players told another to "Piss off." Paul, what did Neil write? "It would also make them laugh if you broke wind loudly, Kemp. Please, just the lines and jests I have writ for you." Purely my opinion, but if the final scene could be tightened and sped up, it would finish the production nicely.
The above-mentioned performers delivered the dialogue to make Will himself proud, but some of the younger (and even older) performers struggled a bit. Demetrius was practically inaudible. Theseus was very faint, but I learnt afterwards that he had laryngitis, in which case well done! Get well soon, and then you won't have to fake the kiss with Hippolyta. (And I agree, Paul, Theseus ran off with Antiope, Hercules hooked Hippolyta.)
I mentioned the effective, minimalist set, accomplished by flying in appropriate pieces, accompanied by very effective mood lighting. There was a lovely, unobtrusive soundtrack running through much of the show - never competing with the actors, but adding subtle evocations. Very nice programme, too.
That's about it ("Thank God", you cry). Kim and Fiona tried to steal the show, but Kane actually did. Cryptic? Then you'd better go see for yourselves.
JB
WHEN: Saturday, March 8 (2003)
WHERE: Roleystone Theatre, Roleystone (WA)
William Shakespeare dreamt of being remembered. He wanted to write and he wanted his plays to be a success. Unfortunately, several of his early works received a less than enthusiastic response.
Shakespeare made a bargain with the Lord of Dreams. In return for inspiration, Will agreed to write two plays celebrating dreams - one at the start of his career and one at the end. Morpheus had an additional reason for this bargain: although they had departed this world for their own, Morpheus did not want the Faerie folk to be forgotten. He ensured that, "King Auberon and Queen Titania will be remembered by mortals, until this age is gone."
Arguably the first of Shakespeare's 'truly great plays', A Midsummer Night's Dream also seems to be the favourite of many people. Maybe it's the novel and memorable characters - it is one of only two completely original plays of Will's, not based on historical events or other people's stories - or maybe it's the damn funny situations. Regardless, it is presented with great frequency (not as often as Cosi, but then, what is?) and people keep going to see it.
Roleystone Theatre's current production is minimalistic and stylish, dependent upon the characters we've all heard of to carry the tale. A very young cast (there seemed to be only three performers over the age of, say, thirty) but they delivered the text well.
Of the mischievously manipulated lovers, the girls fared best. Kim Wallace (Helena) nearly stole the show. The first to show any real emotion, rather than just deliver the lines, she deftly moved from sympathetic to just plain pathetic as she threw herself at the object of her desires. However, it quickly becomes hilarious once Puck's love potion works its magic. Incredibly physical, extraordinarily flexible, and hot? - even her shadow oozes sex appeal. A great comic (and erotic) performance.
Nicola Oxley played the sensible one (Hermia). We know this because she was wearing the biggest pants ever worn by anyone on stage ever. Even so, we still felt for her after she was rejected. Lysander (Scott Smythe) managed the physical stuff well, casually tossing around the two girls.
I tend to forget the mortals. When I think of The Dream, I think of Titania & Oberon, Puck & Bottom (okay, yes, Bottom is sort of mortal). Melissa Merchant (Titania) and Rory Cornelius (Oberon) exuded power and authority. Melissa must have a dancing background because she glides across the stage - very regal. Nice costumes and make-up too.
Speaking of oozing sex appeal, that was the sexiest hobgoblin I've ever seen. Director Paul Treasure obviously has a thing for putting Fiona Forster in black leather, and who am I to complain? Inspired indeed by Uma Thurman in The Avengers (and possibly Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix? Mmmm, Carrie-Anne Moss...), Fiona moved about the stage mischievously and lasciviously, delivering the play's finest lines with aplomb. It took a minute or so, but I soon realised (with much amusement) that she was carrying a tiny toy Eeyore early on....
Peter Carr was Bottom. Not quite as sexy as Fiona or Kim, he still allowed himself to be stripped down by four nubile nymphets, and who was he to complain? A nice subdued performance from Pear, and if you're wondering how Bottom can be subdued, then you don't know Pear. He recovered his dignity (somewhat) in the final scene and it was nice to see genuine emotion when he caught up with his compatriots.
While we're on the subject, the final scene didn't really work for me. It seemed a huge anticlimax after the enjoyable forest scenes. The reunited travelling players have the opportunity to cap the production with a manic performance in the court of Theseus, but it seemed a bit forced and flat. It also seemed a pity that the loudest audience laughter arose when one of the players told another to "Piss off." Paul, what did Neil write? "It would also make them laugh if you broke wind loudly, Kemp. Please, just the lines and jests I have writ for you." Purely my opinion, but if the final scene could be tightened and sped up, it would finish the production nicely.
The above-mentioned performers delivered the dialogue to make Will himself proud, but some of the younger (and even older) performers struggled a bit. Demetrius was practically inaudible. Theseus was very faint, but I learnt afterwards that he had laryngitis, in which case well done! Get well soon, and then you won't have to fake the kiss with Hippolyta. (And I agree, Paul, Theseus ran off with Antiope, Hercules hooked Hippolyta.)
I mentioned the effective, minimalist set, accomplished by flying in appropriate pieces, accompanied by very effective mood lighting. There was a lovely, unobtrusive soundtrack running through much of the show - never competing with the actors, but adding subtle evocations. Very nice programme, too.
That's about it ("Thank God", you cry). Kim and Fiona tried to steal the show, but Kane actually did. Cryptic? Then you'd better go see for yourselves.
JB
Re: Shall I compare thee to a Midsummer's day?
Mon, 10 Mar 2003, 05:26 pmJarrod Buttery wrote:
>
> William Shakespeare dreamt of being remembered. He wanted to
> write and he wanted his plays to be a success.
This is off topic, but I liked the way you introduced this response, Jarrod. It reminded me of an interesting interpretation of Will's Sonnet 18 - the most famous and quite possibly the most misquoted of all his sonnets - "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
The sonnet sounds like an ode to a lover ("Thou art more lovely and more temporate"), and on an immediate level it can be interpreted so, up to a point - until the lines, "But thy eternal summer shall not fade....when in eternal lines to time thou grow'st".
Shakespeare realises that all beauty must pass, indeed he mocks the tradition of comparing a lover more beautiful than nature (who will always win in the end); but then he hits upon the idea that if he writes an everlasting sonnet ("eternal lines"), then the beauty described within will last forever.
When he closes with "So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee", he is no longer praising the lover who will wilt and die, but his own poem, which will last as long as men can read it, and by the power of his words he keeps the lover alive and beautiful.
Yes, Shakespeare dreamt of being remembered. He seems also pretty damned sure of himself. That sonnet isn't about praising a lover at all, he is praising himself as the creator of immortal verse! Sonnet 17 ("You should live twice - in it and in my rime") and 19 ("My love shall in my verse live ever young") follow the same argument.
For years the first impression people got was of an eloquent love-sonnet; they've been used out of context for centuries, and perhaps that was the sneaky trick he intended. For in that popular context, he created himself immortal, but all the while the irony was that the sonnets describe themselves as being read forever...they are a great example of him manufacturing the success he dreamt of.
Forget his take on stage directions; this is masterful, manipulative wordsmithing !
crg
[%sig%]
>
> William Shakespeare dreamt of being remembered. He wanted to
> write and he wanted his plays to be a success.
This is off topic, but I liked the way you introduced this response, Jarrod. It reminded me of an interesting interpretation of Will's Sonnet 18 - the most famous and quite possibly the most misquoted of all his sonnets - "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
The sonnet sounds like an ode to a lover ("Thou art more lovely and more temporate"), and on an immediate level it can be interpreted so, up to a point - until the lines, "But thy eternal summer shall not fade....when in eternal lines to time thou grow'st".
Shakespeare realises that all beauty must pass, indeed he mocks the tradition of comparing a lover more beautiful than nature (who will always win in the end); but then he hits upon the idea that if he writes an everlasting sonnet ("eternal lines"), then the beauty described within will last forever.
When he closes with "So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee", he is no longer praising the lover who will wilt and die, but his own poem, which will last as long as men can read it, and by the power of his words he keeps the lover alive and beautiful.
Yes, Shakespeare dreamt of being remembered. He seems also pretty damned sure of himself. That sonnet isn't about praising a lover at all, he is praising himself as the creator of immortal verse! Sonnet 17 ("You should live twice - in it and in my rime") and 19 ("My love shall in my verse live ever young") follow the same argument.
For years the first impression people got was of an eloquent love-sonnet; they've been used out of context for centuries, and perhaps that was the sneaky trick he intended. For in that popular context, he created himself immortal, but all the while the irony was that the sonnets describe themselves as being read forever...they are a great example of him manufacturing the success he dreamt of.
Forget his take on stage directions; this is masterful, manipulative wordsmithing !
crg
[%sig%]