Posted by quinn
on September 5, 2009, 11:45 am, in reply to "Dream Reviews"
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Audience loves Midsummer Night's Dream
By HEATHER RIVERS, Sun Media
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a story about love but not necessarily the kind of romantic love most of us have envisioned.
It is mainly the story about the nature of love in all its manifestations including both requited and unrequited, and the chaos caused by a simple magic love potion.
A Midsummer's Night's Dream tells the tale of the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and their interaction with a group of amateur actors.
Set in a moonlit forest, the main characters also include the Duke of Athens, Theseus, the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta and of course the fairies who set the mood for the play.
Set in the prim 1950s, a nod to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's roots, the tone is uncharacteristically modern and even Goth with fairies adorned in leather pants and black garb.
"The fairies are the genesis of rock and roll, but they are not held hostage by time," said director David Grindley. "Their look is every liberated fashion statement from then until now."
It also had good doses of an enticing, magical other world, that helps the audience draw closer to the actor's environment.
"This production is about celebrating this space and using it as a catalyst for the whole show, ensuring that the very disparate narratives are part of the same world," Grindley said.
If laughter is any indicator of a show's success, the audience seemed in love with A Midsummer Night's Dream, with many in hysterics throughout the performance.
Many of the laughs went to Geraint Wyn Davies who shone as Bottom.
A Midsummer Night's Dream also stars Dion Johnstone as Oberon, Yanna McIntosh as Titania.
Laura Condlln plays Helena; Ian Lake is Demetrius; Bruce Godfree is Lysander; Tom Rooney is Puck; and Sophia Walker plays Hermia.
A Midsummer Night's Dream officially opened on August 21 and runs until October 30.
To purchase tickets, call the box office at 1.800.567.1600 or visit stratfordshakespearefestival.com.
The 2009 season is dedicated to Richard Monette, the Festival's longest-serving artistic director.
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