“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, by William Shakespeare. Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent. Presented by Actors’ Shakespeare Project, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown through May 4.
Cast of Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”Photos: Nile Scott Studios
By Michele Markarian
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind”, insists Helena (Deb Martin), a maid musing on the unreasonable and unpredictable foibles of attraction. The minds in this production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” are busy at work, their bodies preening and pursuing the objects of their lusty desires, a kind of Beltane in the middle of summer. This vigorous production is set in a disco, with all the dangers and dreams that go with it.
Hermia (Thomika Marie Birdwell) and Lysander (Michael Broadhurst) are in love and wish to wed. Hermia’s father (the versatile Bobbie Steinbach, who also plays Quince) has arranged for her to be wed to the more well-heeled Demetrius (De’Lon Grant), whom Helena has an unrequited crush on. Hermia and Lysander run away to the forest – presumably a corner of the disco – where they plan on escaping to Athens to wed. Meanwhile, the fairy king, Oberon (Dan Garcia) and Hippolyta, the fairy queen (Eliza Fichter) are quarreling. In a fit of jealousy, Oberon instructs the fairy Puck (Alan Kuang, an astounding dancer and acrobat) to put a magic potion on the sleeping Hippolyta which would cause her to fall in love with the first person she sees upon awakening. Puck accomplishes this, but not until he mistakenly puts the potion first on the sleeping Lysander and then on Demetrius, who both see Helena as they wake. Meanwhile, Hippolita opens her eyes to fall in love with Nick Bottom (Doug Lockwood), an Athenian mechanical in town to put on a play, whose head the mischievous Puck has transformed into as ass.
Ultimately, the spells are reversed, lovers are reunited, and Demetrius decides he loves Helena, after all (although I do wonder about a woman who debases herself by telling her crush, “I am your spaniel…use me as your spaniel”. Is a reciprocal relationship really what she’s after? But I digress). The finale is a magical display of glitter and bubbles, which fall from the sky in a glorious array.
There’s a lot to like about this production, well directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent and beautifully costumed by Seth Bodie. Parent utilizes the whole of the theater well. Actors are positioned on different levels and at times come through the audience using all of the entrances and exits available (Oberon gave me a high five, which was rather thrilling). The modern musical choices were quite funny, in particular the repeated use of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”. The acting is terrific, with cast members having real facility with the language, particularly the hilariously droll Lockwood. Bridwell elicits laughs with her over-the-top excitement upon becoming engaged; she also uses an audience member at one point to hold her things before a fight with Helena. The disco costumes and gender bending are fun, although perhaps a little much when Flute (Evan Taylor) quickly sheds his mortification at having to play Thisbe in the Mechanicals’ play and struts out in full drag. He’s wonderful, but much of the scene’s humor comes from his discomfort; perhaps his transformation could have been eased into a little less confidently.
To anyone who spent their misspent twenties in dance clubs swinging with sex and recreational drugs, the nostalgia is bound to hit – there’s nothing like the passion of the young, and the feeling of everyone wanting their piece of the action. Like a dream, it comes flooding back, and we are transported. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.actorsshakespeareproject.org/
