A Midsummer Night's Dream - WAAPA (16 March 2016)

What better way to be introduced in your first public production at WAAPA than under the stars performing an enduring classic written by The Bard himself? As is the Academy’s tradition the first show for the 2nd year musical theatre students is always a non-musical and here they get to sink their teeth into Shakespeare’s oft performed and beloved comedy.

The venue was the Amphitheatre which put the focus squarely on the performers with only an empty stage and minimalist lighting and sound design to recreate the mood of the enchanted woods. Striking costuming and interesting choices in interpretation, some more successful than others, added to the world in which both humans and fairies frolicked.

The fairies were given a distinct Nordic flavour, in accent, costume, makeup and attitude. Nick Errol’s Oberon was presented as a powerful, warlike figure while Jenna Curran’s Titania had a proud, regal air. Occasionally the language didn’t sit well with the thick accents especially early on with Curran but this was a proud couple of equal footing.

Not so the status of women in the Athenian Court. The opening scene featured Hippolyta (Lucy Ross) and Hermia (Kelsi Boyden) treated like playthings to be manhandled by the men. It was quite unsettling watching Ross restrained with a stout stick across her throat while Boyden was grasped and grabbed at as ownership was discussed between Theseus (Joshua White) and Hermia’s father Egeus (Benjamin Colley).

The costuming was also in direct contrast to the fairies with the four lovers, Boyden, Monique Warren (Helena), David Cuny (Lysander), and Tom Gustard (Demetrius) given the preppy attire of a Hollywood high school comedy. They worked well together though Gustard’s Demetrius seemed overmatched in the manly stakes by Cuny’s Lysander which tended to unbalance the quartet.

The four fairies, played with relish by Mackenzie Dunn, Meg McKibbin, Laura Jackson, and Chloe Bremner, were sleekness personified in skin tight black outfits. They oscillated between being lascivious, notably when Titania seduces Bottom, to adopting the stern visage and posture of warriors within the Fairy kingdom.

Then there were the Mechanicals led by Peter Quince (Tom New) but dominated by the vainglorious Nick Bottom (Cameron Steens) and, of course, the mischievous Puck (Bailey Dunnage) whose slipups drive much of the mayhem as potent magic ensorcells Titania, Lysander and Demetrius to amusing effect.

Standouts for me were Warren who gave a Helena an exaggerated comic bent in her pursuit of Lysander and total disbelief when both he and Demetrius are compelled to pursue her. Steens plays up to the ego of Bottom with suitable flourishes while two of the Mechanicals, Finn Alexander (Francis Flute) and Daisy Valerio (Snug) have highlight moments during the play within a play. The former as he laments the death of Pyramus in dramatic counterpoint to his earlier flouncing as Thisbe; the latter with a Lion’s roar of such understatement that the audience cracked up at the delightful absurdity of it all. Luke Haberecht (Tom Snout) and Sarah Brideson (Robin Starveling) add to the mirth as Wall and Moon respectively.

Dunnage had a funny sequence as Puck scampers through the audience attempting to hide from Oberon’s wrath as things go pear shaped. He had cheekily drunk from a lady’s can of soft drink earlier and here was fascinated with random objects amongst the crowd. In fact the cast was impressive in reacting to the audience as they cavorted along the tiered seating. At one point Errol caught the magic flower thrown by Puck with some style which elicited a chuckle of approval from my good self. He turned toward me and nodded as if to say, “pretty good, hey” which was in character and a confident example of being in the moment as the cast often broke the fourth wall.  

  

I don’t know if I was as enamoured with the use of Nutbush City Limits in the finale. I understand the notion of updating the music to more modern times but this song with its patented dance routine seemed dated (and probably twice as old as most of the cast). The use of a track that was more recent, vital and immediate would have worked better.

Overall this was a most pleasant evening even with me making a complete ass of myself as I was dragged on stage to the strains of Tina Turner… or maybe I was simply dreaming all along.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream was written by William Shakespeare, directed by Trent Baker, and featured the second year musical theatre students in their inaugural public outing. 

A Midsummer Night's Dream - Acacia Prison & The Actors Workshop (13 November 2015)

“Close your eyes.

Now breathe in… and breathe out. Breathe in… and breathe out…

Now open your eyes.”

As I did so I saw sixteen actors arranged on a slightly staggered, three level stage.

I was at the theatre.

I was about to watch a play.

One of the most cherished comedies in the history of theatre:

William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

In that moment of breathing, eyes closed, all that had come before melted away - the long drive, the uncertainty of what awaited me, the security protocols, the screening, the escorted walk through the grounds of Acacia Prison to a building that normally would be a workshop, the guards.

Yes, this was the most unusual of settings and circumstances.

But none of that mattered now. I was about to witness something truly special. I was about to witness the transformative power of theatre, a magic as potent as the one Oberon wields in Shakespeare’s most whimsical of comedies.

I laughed. Oh, how I laughed. I was moved. I was transfixed. I was beyond impressed.

These men, almost all with no previous acting experience of any kind, flung themselves at this with energy, with style, with commitment, and with their own sense of humour and spirit. It was raw, it was powerful, and it was bloody well funny as all get out. The sly asides, the improvised lines, the odd fluff here and there, the occasional line read from the sidelines; all were incorporated with flair to burn. Above all, this was faithful to The Bard himself in a rollicking performance that drew a spontaneous standing ovation from family, friends, official visitors, and guards alike.

It was a simple stage with a painted backdrop that was flipped over to represent the woods after the initial Athenian scenes. You could see the actors and stagehands in the wings; the incomparable director Nichola Renton off to one side with script in hand giving surprisingly few line prompts. The makeup was done by one of the men in only 40 minutes before the show; the costumes were made by one of the staff. Musical inserts were a funny mix of everything from Chariots of Fire to the Benny Hill theme music. Other men were manning the sound and lighting desk at the back with something like a hundred cues. There were no airs and graces here. Everyone pitched in.   

The performances were all astounding, from a mischievous Puck to a commanding Oberon (the actor, who also played Peter Quince, learnt the lines in 4 days!); to a terrific set of Mechanicals (Bottom’s death scene as Pyramus is something to behold!); and a quartet of young lovers that pursued, evaded, flirted, fought and finally found their true loves in rousing fashion. The men playing Hermia and Helena did so without a hint of self-consciousness and played up to the audience with a wink and a nod that was hilarious. Everyone embraced their part and what I thoroughly enjoyed was seeing their response to the laughter and appreciation they were receiving. That magic symbiotic relationship between a cast and an audience when things are firing on all cylinders.

The Question and Answer session shortly afterwards was just as impressive. The men spoke with passion and sincerity about what this opportunity meant to them and how they had incorporated so many elements into coping with life outside the performing arts programme. One likened the experience to walking through the closet into Narnia which was as apt an analogy as you’re likely to hear. Many talked about the support and encouragement within the group and how they were a family; how they trusted each other and felt safe. Perceptive comments about learning how to read body language and how to use that back in the blocks; about how their days performing were like being out of prison. The camaraderie within the group was palpable as was the sense of humour. It was moving to see the reaction of loved ones in the audience as well.

This is no luxury programme, no gimmick. The benefits were there for all to see and everyone involved needs to be applauded and encouraged to continue and expand this. As an actor in the audience remarked, the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes and empathise with that character is an invaluable skill. The sense of teamwork and working together to achieve a common goal and support each other along the way is equally as important.

To mount a production, of Shakespeare no less, and pull it off with such success is a testament to the hard work and commitment of not only the men but the staff as well. Then there’s Nichola who spoke so passionately about working with and teaching this extraordinary cast. What an accomplishment!

This truly was a special day – memorable, moving, and funny. 

Is it the most polished performance I’ll see this year? Not even close. 

Did it the meet the requirement of theatre to entertain, to inspire, to move, and, for a comedy, to make me laugh?

You bet your arse it did.

In spades! 

Breathless - Shadowlight Darkly Theatre Company (16 February 2015)

Imagine the Shakespearean comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream told exclusively from the fairies point of view. Now throw in an eclectic mix of electronic music peppered with some pop standards (Bowie’s Golden Years; Simon & Garfunkel’s Scarborough Fair) and an interpretation largely based on movement and dance with only snippets of the original text via the human lovers and you have Breathless.

This iteration is in fact the further development of a concept that originally saw life last year as Sleepless. Many of the same performers have returned, some in new roles, and the director remains the jauntily named Josh “The Pirate” Walker. 

Now, it is certainly true that audience members with more than a passing familiarity with the Shakespeare play will better appreciate the storyline and subtleties here. Those without any knowledge at all might end up a tad confused. There is, however, enough colour and movement and energy for this to be an enjoyable performance piece no matter what your comfort level with The Bard’s (truncated) tale of four lovers who stumble into fairy infested woods is. 

And my, what a bunch of mischievous fairies they are! From their King (Oberon) and Queen (Titania) who feud over a lost child; to the magical potion that entreats a person to fall in love with the first creature they see; to the tricks they play on the wandering humans, this is ripe with misunderstanding and fun. Throw in some colourful costuming and makeup and this is quite the frolic. 

The performers work well as an ensemble and the energy slowly builds to a frenetic ending. I liked how the lovers are literally the playthings of the fairies though they did have their back to the audience for a disproportionate amount of time. I wanted to see more of the lovers’ faces but it was a minor quibble. 

Matthew Randall was a commanding physical presence as Oberon and Angela Donlan (Titania with fairy wings of course!) was certainly a hit with the young girl in the audience who rushed up to her all excited afterwards. Shannon Berry had lovely poise as Helena and Michael Moshos was a devilish Luck. There were times the music was too loud for the dialogue excerpts, however, Keren Schlink, Berry, Owen Lane and Brendan Ellis handled the language well enough.

This is a young cast with a vibrant variation on a classic tale. At a slick 50 minutes it’s a great way to commence an evening at Fringe, beginning at 5.15pm in The Stables, with only three more shows until Thursday 19th February.

Directed by Joshua Walker and Featuring: 

Angela Donlan as Titania
Matthew Randall as Oberon
Keren Schlink as Hermia
Shannon Berry as Helena
Owen Lane as Lysander
Brendan Ellis as Demetrious
Kimberley Harris, Michael Moshos and Anka Cikic as Muck, Luck and Duck
Daniel O'Brien as Bottom
Tahlia McQuade, Ruhama Geiger and Alanna McKennzie as Parsley, Sage and Rosemary
and Jessie Williams as The Lost Child

A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Garrick Theatre (5 April 2014)

Ah, Shakespeare - generally acknowledged as the greatest writer in the history of Western Civilisation. Intimidating! Yes, I studied him at high school – Henry IV, Part 1 and Hamlet to be precise – but, and here’s the heresy, I generally find his plays a chore. Mine modern ears doth struggle to tune in to the language and odd rhythms and when it’s delivered at breakneck speed as it is so often these days, it leaves me cold.

What a delight then to have that fog lifted with Garrick Theatre’s production of this classic Shakespeare comedy. Talking to the director Peter Clark afterwards, the cast spent the first three weeks of rehearsal concentrating solely on understanding the language. This pays off in spades as I found it much easier to comprehend (and appreciate) the delivery than another version I saw a while ago.

Sure, it still took me a little while to get my ear in (not aided by the distraction of some idiot in the audience using a mobile phone during the early going) but from the moment Helena (Gemma Sharpe) makes her entrance everything snaps into place. Whereas before I was totally lost, this version all made sense. That clarity is great credit to the director and cast who obviously worked hard to make this a priority.

The play is a set of three interweaving stories. Four young Athenian lovers, Lysander (Samuel Tye), Demetrius (Finn Alexander), Hermia (Clare Thomson) and Helena (Gemma Sharpe) journey to a wood near Athens to resolve their romantic entanglements; a troupe of six actors – The Mechanicals – prepare to perform Pyramus and Thisbe at the wedding of the Duke of Athens, Theseus (Jesse Wood) and his bride to be, Hippolyta (Jayden Payne). The actors are Peter Quince (Adrian Wood), Snug (Ben Anderson), Nick Bottom (Rodney van Groningen), Francis Flute (Alan Markham), Tom Snout (David Seman) and Robin Starveling (Melissa Scott).

In the woods, the lovers and actors fall prey to the machinations between the King of the Fairies, Oberon (John Taylor) and his Queen, Titania (Jacqui Warner). Oberon is ably assisted in this by Puck (Krysia Wychecki) who causes all kinds of mischief while Titania has a retinue of fairies (Jayden Payne, Melissa Clements, Dailin Manning and Natasha Smith). The cast is rounded out by Michael Hart as Hermia’s father, Egeus and Natasha Smith also plays Philostrate, the Master of the Revels.

It is a simple set with a lighted tree the centrepiece. Camouflage netting is used across the stage to indicate the woods which also allows for interesting lighting effects as the fairies frolic behind it for example. The costuming is a mix of modern style suits for the men, bold patterns for the women and Wychecki’s Puck is a startling punk like figure.

A feature of the play is the physical nature of the performances. These are real slaps and blows being exchanged and the cast seem to revel in the high energy levels. The exchanges between Taylor and Wychecki, in particular, are almost brutal at times as Oberon battles with his unruly emissary.

Above all, this is downright funny in parts. The play within a play is hilarious and van Groningen has a ball as Bottom, ass and all. There’s a lot of physical comedy here and the Mechanicals play off each other nicely with pratfalls galore.

The cast are uniformly good with the work of a vibrant Wychecki and van Groningen the highlight. Tye is a boisterous Lysander and Sharpe very strong as the spurned then desired Helena. The fairies are all suitably playful and Payne reveals a lovely singing voice. Taylor has a commanding presence and Thomson is put through the ringer as Hermia’s fortunes wax and wane. As mentioned, all the Mechanicals play up to the over-the-top nature of Bottom’s antics and their own amusing parts in the sham play.

This is one of three plays being performed as part of the Shakespeare Anniversary Festival, the others being Othello and Macbeth. Three clubs have joined forces to celebrate the 450th anniversary of The Bard’s birth in this way – Garrick Theatre, Kalamunda Dramatic Society and the Darlington Theatre Players. If A Midsummer Night’s Dream is anything to go by, Shakespeare lovers are in for a real treat during the month of April.

***All three plays are being performed at the Marloo Theatre in Greenmount***