The lights were bright and the stage set as the production “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was kicked off this past Thursday, October 11 in the Hanaway Theater. The cast and crew displayed their seasoned talents to a full house of eager viewers of this modern version of Shakespeare’s most admired comedy.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” follows three intertwining sets of characters; the lovers, the fairies, and the mechanicals. The lover’s story involves four characters: Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius. Hermia hears the news that her father, Agues, has planned for her to wed Demetrius even though her true love is Lysander. Refusing to comply, she has until the King’s wedding to change her mind or she will be killed. Hermia and Lysander plan an escape through the enchanted forests to Athens, where they will escape their King’s rule.
To no surprise, they are followed by Demetrius, who is also in love with Hermia. Demetrius, in turn, is being followed by Helena who has her heart set on marrying him. Throughout their adventure, they are fooled by the fairies who make their situation even more of a mess. Oberon and Tatania, the King and Queen of the fairies are having their own issues with love and take their frustrations out on the lovers. They also trifle with the mechanicals, an acting troupe who are to perform a play at the King’s wedding.
“The show has been warmly received,” said William Viau, who plays Lysander. “We’re finding that it appeals to far more [people] than one would think of as ‘the Shakespeare crowd.'” he added.
Erykah Skelly, a senior at Plymouth said, “As soon as I walked into Hanaway Theater I was taken back. The detail was so great because it really made the audience a part of the play.”
“The stage is set up with many levels and decorated to look like a verdant cascade of tree-stump terraces in an ancient forest of myth,” Viau said. According to Andrew Codispoti, who plays Oberion, “It’s an exciting set that basically forces the actors to move, as well as giving them plenty of interesting places to move to!”
Also, the set gives the actors a platform to add extra energy and life to the play, “We can chase each other up and down the platforms, crawl up them like mountainside, hide behind them, leap down from them, and even appear from within them,” Viau said.
“The cast was so energetic and fun to watch and you could tell that they were having a good time up there together,” Skelly said. Puck, played by Colin Malette, and the rest of the fairies take full advantage of the set and the different attributes that it encompasses.
“I hope that those who have an antagonistic or apathetic relationship with Shakespeare can see this production and realize how very relevant and exciting Shakespeare can be,” stated Codispoti. Although it’s Shakespeare, it’s easy to sit through and understand everything that’s going on. Remember…. it’s a comedy! The actor’s make it easy to laugh even if it’s in “Shakespearian,” “This production has been modernized and is very easy to understand but still holds true to good old Shakespeare for those who love and have loved Shakespeare from the beginning,” Skelly said.
Why should students go see a Shakespeare play? “It’s easily the best thing that’s going on around campus right now,” Viau said, “A friend of mine, who makes his living by playing video games and dodge ball in the HUB, who has barely read a book in his life, loved the show and laughed through the whole thing.”
If you haven’t seen “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” yet, fear not! It’s still playing Friday and Saturday, October 19 and 20 in Hanaway Theater in the Silver Center.