A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. To 18 August.
London.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
by William Shakespeare.
Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park In rep to 18 August 2007.
Mon-Sat 8pm Mat Wed, Thu, Sat 2.30pm.
BSL Signed 5 July mat & eve.
Runs 2hr 30min One interval.
TICKETS: 08700 601811.
www.openairtheatre.org
Review: Timothy Ramsden 11 June.
A dream of a Dream.
Nature’s healing art works well on Shakespeare’s Dream. The frightmare bestiality of some productions would hardly survive a balmy evening amid the Open Air Theatre’s luxuriant foliage. Yet Christopher Luscombe’s production makes unusual sense of the mix of the spirit world with humanity in the Victorian heyday of straight-laced scientific materialism.
Natural and man-made co-exist, Janet Bird’s tiered rows suggesting ancient Athenian open-air theatre. Grass grows between the flagstones, until the material and ethereal are harmonised near the end.
Sweet music opens events. The clarinettist seems especially interested in Sarah Woodward’s Hippolyta. No wonder; he’s about to marry her. Mark Meadows has a voice as fluidly melodious as his woodwind playing. Woodward is strong and taciturn here, but her Titania shows a potent sexuality when describing foodstuffs for her temporarily beloved Bottom.
Thankfully Luscombe doesn’t go all-out for physical comedy, but trusts the language that could easily get lost amid bodily hurtling. The result’s comic yet keeps a sense of wonder. The supernatural can seem routine in manifestation (at the end, everyone enters with wings stuck on their backs), but the relation between surfaces and underlying turbulence is clear. Released from their spells, the four lovers stand, apart, clearly transformed, wondering what has happened to them.
Music assists; urbane chamber music contrasted by the swirling pan-pipes of the forest. Back in his familiar world, Ian Talbot’s Bottom is surrounded by his friends. But even here dreams may come, as he clutches his head while the fairy pipes take him back to dream-land.
There are fine performances throughout, and specifically among the Mechanicals, including Chris Emmett’s stolid Peter Quince. More than one suddenly discovers a taste for performance in ‘Pyramus and Thisbe’; another kind of spirit possession.
But Talbot deserves the last mention. He has run this theatre for 20 years, making it an indispensable joy of summer theatre-going. His Bottom is an intelligent delight, from the artistic presumption when first offered Pyramus (“If I play it…”) to the tremendous roll his supposed corpse makes to retrieve a prop. A fine roll, and a fine role, on which to bow out.
Theseus/Oberon: Mark Meadows.
Hippolyta/Titania: Sarah Woodward.
Helena: Hattie Ladbury.
Hermia: Olivia Darnley.
Demetrius: Norman Bowman.
Lysander: Sam Alexander.
Egeus: David Peart.
Philostrate/Puck: Richard Glaves.
Nick Bottom: Ian Talbot.
Peter Quince: Chris Emmett.
Francis Flute: Christian Edwards.
Tom Snout: Steve Watts.
Snug: Tobias Beer.
Robin Starveling: Thomas Padden.
Butler/Fairy: Alan Bradshaw.
Cobweb/Footman: Martin McCarthy.
Moth/Footman: Nicolas Pinto-Sander.
Mustardseed: David McGranaghan.
Peaseblossom: Chris Edgerley.
1st Fairy: Joseph Pitcher.
2nd Fairy/Maid: Anna Lowe.
Maid/Fairy: Kate Nelson.
Fairies: Rachel Jerram, Gemma Sutton.
Director: Christopher Luscombe.
Designer: Janet Bird.
Lighting: Jason Taylor.
Sound: Gregory Clarke.
Composer: Gary Yershon.
Choreographer: Jenny Arnold.
Voice coach: Mel Churcher.
Assistant director: Sarah Norman.
2007-06-13 00:51:55