Imagine the scene: you are sitting in the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre, but it is no longer a stage. It has been transformed, and you are looking at a green meadow, two metal beds covered in flowers and a wall of greenery. The air is filled with bubbles, glittering in the dark. It’s cold and windy outside, but somehow this little hollow is protected from the wind and you do not shiver from the moment you sit down until the moment you get up. Probably because you are laughing too hard to be cold. This is the perfect marriage of ethereal and ridiculously comedic Shakespeare.
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I was reminded of why I really love theatre: not because it is artsy, deep and meaningful, but because it has the unrivalled power to transport us to another world.
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I went to see A midsummer night’s dream after three long days of theatre. I was tired. I had to get up early the next morning for a day on set. It was freezing cold in the centre of Stellenbosch and my teeth were literally chattering. After my previous (once again deep and disturbing) play finished, I considered calling it a day and heading home to my warm bed. But, having missed this play at Maynardville and subsequent performances, I finally had the chance to see it and I forced myself to go. Thank goodness I did. I love Shakespeare, and this is definitely one of the top three versions I have ever seen – possibly the very best. I was reminded of why I really love theatre: not because it is artsy, deep and meaningful, but because it has the unrivalled power to transport us to another world. For a moment, we can forget about everything. And when we return, we bring a little bit of that other world with us, and this one becomes just a little bit better. That is what makes theatre so transformative.
From the very first line until the very last, I was hooked. The mechanicals’ play had me in stitches, struggling to breathe. Every moment of humour was highlighted subtly and cleverly without ever becoming slapstick or indulgent. True, this is not what I pictured in my head. I saw the fairies as creatures of light, barely touching the ground. I saw Puck as a little cherub tottering around creating accidental havoc. Titania and Oberon like graceful elves from Lord of the rings. Instead, I was given a slightly menacing Puck who bounced around the stage with brilliant physicality and revelled in the disaster he created. Casting a differently abled actor in the role brought unexpected new layers. The fairies, played by the same actors as the mechanicals, were slightly misshapen and awkward comical versions – definitely not Tinkerbells. And in this version, Oberon and Titania, a gender-fluid interpretation that worked extremely well, came across more like petty children than almighty beings. If you told me these things beforehand, I would have expected disappointment. Instead, I absolutely loved it. It is a much more comedic take than is normally performed – and probably closer to what Shakespeare envisioned.
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Every word was audible. Exits and entrances were energetic.
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Technically, I have no criticism to offer. Every word was audible. Exits and entrances were energetic. The set (designed by Jesse Brooks), the slightly modern twist in the costumes (Michaeline Wessels), the lighting (Oliver Hauser), the music (Wessel Odendaal) and the magical bubbles in the air all combined to create a wonder world that I could immerse myself in completely. All that was missing was the smell of flowers wafting through the audience, and I can forgive them for that! The director, Geoffrey Hyland, has done a phenomenal job. I can see that every step is choreographed, every gesture plotted and rehearsed until it has become second nature. The actors clearly know what they are doing every second of the play, understand the vision and are not allowed to become complacent. VR Theatrical were also present at the performance, which speaks of an involved and passionate production team.
Now, let us talk about the acting. There was not a disappointing performance on stage. Standouts would be the ensemble performances of the mechanicals and the unforgettable Bottom, brought to life by Mark Elderkin. It is as if this role were written for him. All the actors were present, had good onstage chemistry, supported one another and clearly enjoyed themselves. Moments that stand out were Titania falling in love with Bottom and suddenly speaking in a Cape-coloured accent; the Indian-accented Thisbe swooning in her high little voice; and the mechanicals being instructed on their roles, with special emphasis on the Lion being puppeteered by Bottom for his opening speech. I wish I could point out my favourite moments for each actor – I had so many – but I would run out of space. Instead, I will compliment them all for bringing something to their roles that was unexpected, but perfectly suited to the script.
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Sometimes it’s not necessary to try so hard to “do something new”. Sometimes, taking a script – a Shakespeare, for example – and just doing justice to the words on the page is all we should do.
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Theatre has so much power that we always try and use it to do great things: to debate deep issues, to showcase opinions, to shock, to re-evaluate and to make people feel! But sometimes it’s not necessary to try so hard to “do something new”. Sometimes, taking a script – a Shakespeare, for example – and just doing justice to the words on the page is all we should do. Theatre makers bring these words to life, and in the process they add their own opinions, debates, critiques and emotions to the stage. The messages, the themes – love, jealousy, miscommunication, feminism – it’s just there, without being forced. And, just by viewing it, the audience leaves a little more informed, a little wiser and a little wealthier. What a wondrous night of theatre!
Photos by Jaco van Rensburg
Original cast list:
Chi Mhende, Mark Elderkin, Nomfundo Selepe, Roberto Kyle, Bobby Stuurmen, Jock Kleynhans, Lisa Tredoux, Tailyn Ramsamy, Tankiso Mamabolo, Roland du Preez, Dean Ricky Goldblum, Sophie Joans and Aiden Scott
Three actors have been replaced, but I’m not sure which three of the above names must be taken out.
New cast are:
Caleb Swanepoel as Puck
Kylie Fisher as Hermia
Sizwesandile Mnisi as Snug
Producer: VR Theatrical, in samewerking met die Maynardville Trust
Director: Geoffrey Hyland
Writer: William Shakespeare
Set design: Jesse Brooks
Lighting: Oliver Hauser
Costume design: Michaeline Wessels
Original score: Wessel Odendaal
Stage manager: Keandri van Wyk
Also read:
Vêr in die wêreld Kittie: A journey through music and stories | Toyota US Woordfees 2023
The post A midsummer night’s dream: A moment of magic! | Toyota US Woordfees 2023 first appeared on LitNet.
The post <em>A midsummer night’s dream</em>: A moment of magic! | Toyota US Woordfees 2023 appeared first on LitNet.