William Shakespeare, whose written stage works have inarguably formed the basis of Western theatre and prose since their debut over 400 years ago, have delighted and vexed actors of every pedigree who have ever attempted to take up those vaunted words. The best known of his plays is “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, a comedy onion whose many layers interweave to create both the comedy and subtle social commentary which were requisite to performance at the Elizabethan court of the latter 1590s. What is fascinating about the work is his broad themes add to their timelessness and their timeliness to modern audiences. The concept of bodily autonomy, a topic still very much at battle today, is embodied by Hermia’s struggle to marry who she chooses, whether her father approves or no. The fairy interference in the relationships of the lovers, has overtones of governmental overreach and societal taboos. The mechanicals are…. well, fools are universal.
Theatre 29 is debuting the Bard for the first time in its history with “Dream”, and primarily, succeeds. Helmed by Charlie E Parker, making her Theatre 29 debut, and Assistant Director, veteran Lisa Hodgson, they create an experience equal parts magic and mayhem. The set allowed a clear delineation between the Athenian world and the world of the fairies, with a main stage backdrop of the “wood” which incorporated blacklight paint and was rendered in a style reminiscent of Van Gogh’s famous “Starry Night” painting, with whirling stars and a baleful waning moon. Conversely, the court of Athens on the extension stage was well rendered with picture windows and quasi-Greco columns in pastel plaster effects. Artist Kevin Maddrey’s work here frames the world with just the right balance of fantasy and reality, this gentleman is a master at his craft. The use of padded toad-stools and other natural elements created the naturalistic flow of an interior forest. Mrs. Hodgson’s lighting and sound design kept their effects appropriate to time and place, the events occurring over the course of 24 hours.
The blacklight effects were not heavy-handed, as they sometimes can be, but rather measured and incorporated in the overall lighting design as an augment rather than the starring attraction. Make-up Designer Liyan McNeltier and her team created unique cosmetic designs for all of the performers. The Fairies had the greatest use of the blacklight make-up effects, which were alternatively spooky and glam depending on the illumination. This team (Liyan McNeltier, Kelly Ames & Anna Pollnow) created some really cool effects on the main actors as well, tying in Greco-Romanesque fresco art to their faces in a way that enhanced the “humans” in a refreshing way never before seen at this theatre. Ms Parker was also behind the costume design, which was varied having to denote Athenian nobility, supernatural fairies and the worker bees of the city.
The authoritarian Duke of Athens, played by Kurt Schauppner, is on the cusp of celebrating his nuptials with the Queen of the Amazons, played here by Catherine Inscore. Schauppner adds grace and wisdom to the role of the veritable master of all he surveys. Inscore give us a different look at Hippolyta than I had seen before. Often, the duo is put forth more as a conqueror and his spoil of war, a bit more swagger and brashness. These actors reinterpreted the roles as a joining of equals, both having fought their wars and learned their lessons in a life full of conquest and power.
Aggrieved patriarch Egeus, played here as part of a dual role, by Jonathan Wegner making his Theatre 29 debut, and his daughter Hermia, played by newcomer Adriana Reyes who is better known from her work at Desert TheatreWorks in Indio, crash the party. Egeus is upset that his daughter is refusing to marry his hand-picked suitor, Demetrius, here played by another new face to the stage, Andrew Catlin. She instead has set her cap for Lysander, played by Andrew Perkins, most recently seen as Peter Pan in “Peter & The Starcatcher” this past Spring. Catlin is a handsome devil, curly headed and ruggedly built. I mention this as he is particularly apt for this role of the two-timing cad. He plays the role with relish, his booming voice clear and his visage believable. He is a nice counter to Perkins’ more romantic Lysander. They both come into their own when competing against each other for the affections of the “maid of the moment”.
Entering into the star-crossed lover fray is stately Helena, played by Charlie E. Parker. The director had to take on the role (one she has luckily done before) in the eleventh hour due to a cast change. She played the sharp-tongued wounded maiden with a vengeance. It is a performance that should include a backing track to “I am woman, hear me roar”. The catfight as Hermia and Helena turn on each other is visceral….and darkly hilarious.
The Fae within the wood, King Oberon and Queen Titania, are herein portrayed by veteran Malcolm Stanley-Wolfe and newcomer Molly Katelbach. Mr. Stanley-Wolfe was a revelation in this role. I have seen him in many roles in past years, but his Oberon showed great maturity, depth and strong body mechanics. Playing an otherworldly creature requires not just the ability to sound or look different, but to move in uncommon ways. He is very viperish in his movements, slick yet seductively in control. Ms. Katelbach, also a Theatre 29 newcomer, was a darkly joyous queen. She clearly understood her text and played it to the hilt. The cat and mouse interplay between the two was delicious. Robin Goodfellow, or “Puck”, here played by another newcomer Kallista Lanterman, is Oberon’s henchman and all around ne’re do well. Puck is mischievous for the sake of being mischievous, though never permanently malicious. Lanterman brought youthful vitality to the role and seemed to enjoy the role of trouble-maker in chief. The only note I would make is, when it comes to movement, less can be more and motivation is the determining factor. The impish fairy court of Eva Musch, Isla Keeran and Izzie Wegner were precocious and cute little scene stealers.
The ”Mechanicals” or as Philostrate, the Master of Revels (here played by Dennis “Easy” Boos) describes them, “Hard-handed men that work in Athens here, which never labored in their minds till now” are crafts people in Athens who moonlight as actors. This merry band of misfits are the comic relief of the show, lead by the dictatorial Peter Quince (Joseph Rego), his “principal” performer Nick Bottom (Heather Clisby) and supported by Francis Flute (Kevin Hayles), Robin Starveling (Jonathan Wegner), Tom Snout (Tiffany Crocker) and Sung the Joiner (Samantha Stevens). Ms. Clisby’s Nick Bottom is a lot of fun. Big, Boisterous and Boastful, this Bottom believes the world should be a one man show…. theirs! Ensnared in Oberon’s scheme to distract Titania, this Bottom goes through a bit of a transformation that involves large furry ears.
The only thing I missed was intermittent donkey braying which would add that much more to the comedic ridiculosity. The “play within the play” in the final act of the show is every bit as awkward as it should be, allowing the wedding party (and the audience) to have laughs at the mechanicals expense.
The performance I attended was a packed house and with only one weekend left (June 23-25) you don’t have a lot of time to waste. Trust me, Shakespeare is not scary, it is funny and magical. Get your seats to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” now by visiting theatre29.org/tickets or call 760-361-4151.
