A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: William Shakespeare.
RSC Main House, Stratford Upon Avon.
Runs: 3 hrs, one interval.
Review: Rod Dungate, 27 May 2005.
A production of vision, beautifully balanced throughout.
Gregory Doran's production is tremendously strong. He has a vision of the play and focuses everything in the production by it; he pulls a bit here, pushes a bit somewhere else but remarkably never has to stretch the script beyond recognition. Hence, if you could pick any point to stand within the production you could look forwards and back and everything is consistent. He is greatly assisted by his acting and production team.
For Doran issues of gender and balance are at the centre, not the gender war that might underpin a drawing room comedy, but the gender difference that underlies today's social, financial and other inequalities here and around the world. Difference isn't always bad, it's important, to be celebrated, it's when it leads to inequality that it's iniquitous.
His thesis is clearly set out in Egeus's early speech about his daughter. 'And she is mine, and all my right of her . . . ' barks Tom Hodgkins, so forcefully we are immediately uncomfortable. But Hermia's response, speaking to Theseus, is equally uncompromising and ungiving; Sinead Keenan gives a performance with an unusually hard edge. Already the depth of Doran's analysis can be seen; it's not just the views people hold, it's their unwillingness to compromise. In truth, Doran frames the whole argument with an opening sequence of Theseus and Hippolyta fighting though it turns out to be friendly. And we might remember that Hippolyta is the Amazon queen.
As if to emphasise this yin/yang philosophy Stephen Brimson Lewis's elegant designs favour black and white.
There are a host of lovely performances here. I particularly like Caitlin Mottram's gawky Helena she has a perfect handle on the comedy. Looking rather hippyish she is a satisfying complement to Sinead Keenan's obviously well-bred and coutured Hermia. They work well together; the long lover's quarrel scene is tremendous, and, if the night I saw it is anything to go by, is rewarded with a well-earned round of applause.
Malcolm Storry's Bottom is a fine piece of nearly over-the-top acting; and with fine moments of touching simplicity as when, returned to human form, he 'flies' one of the doll fairies off stage with him. Jamie Ballard comes into his own as Flute bemoans the death of Pyramus bringing great (and important) dignity to himself and the other workers. I'm pleased that Doran doesn't gloss over the sheer unpleasantness of the aristos to the performance they see indeed, he points it up. At the moment we expect harmony, here is a moment of disquiet.
Jonathan Slinger's often surly Puck fits well within the context and balances light and dark in this malicious character.
Doran has orchestrated a fine adult production of this dangerously whimsical play. The whole plays itself out as a huge moon slowly moves across the acting space.
Theseus: Miles Richardson.
Hippolyta: Bridgitta Roy.
Egeus: Tom Hodgkins.
Hermia: Sinead Keenan.
Demetrius: Oscar Pearce.
Lysander: Trystan Gravelle.
Helena: Caitlin Mottram.
Peter Quince: Paul Chahidi.
Bottom: Malcolm Storry.
Flute: Jamie Ballard.
Starveling: Patrick Waldron.
Snout: David Rogers.
Snug: Edward Clayton.
Puck: Jonathan Slinger.
Oberon: Joe Dixon.
Titania: Amanda Harris.
1st Fairy: BettysJones.
2nd Fairy: Alice Barclay.
Fairy: Peter Bankole.
Fairy: Geoffrey Lumb.
Fairy: Chris McGill.
Philostrate: Stewart W Fraser.
Directed by: Gregory Doran.
Designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis.
Lighting Designed by Tim Mitchell.
Music by: Paul Englishby.
So7und designed by: Martin Slavin.
Movement by: Michael Ashcroft.
Director of Puppetry: Steve Tiplady with Rachel Leonard.
Assistant Director: Phillip Breen.
Fights by: Terry King.
Music Director: Julian Winn.
Company Voice Work by: Lyn Darnley.
2005-05-31 15:41:04