 "Photo: Courtesy Hilberry Theatre")
It’s always that first scene that puts everyone in the mood. The scene that makes everyone think: “this is going to be amazing,” or “eh, this is going to stink.” Whether it’s a play or movie, the setting tells the story. In this case, the crowd is taken back in time to ancient Athens. The opening night of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” by William Shakespeare, captivated the Hilberry Theatre’s audience on Friday, Nov. 6.
Although the play is not really meant to be a love story, it’s filled with romantic elements. Two sets of couples are involved: Hemia and Lysander and Helena and Demetrius. The play is a comedy, and the tone is light-hearted - it’s not meant to be taken too seriously.
Things get complicated when the couples enter the fairyland woods, where the King and Queen of the fairies reside. Character Nick Bottom and his band go into the woods to rehearse a humorous play that is loosely based on the myth of Pyramus and Thisbe. This is by far the funniest and cutest part of the play. Unrequited love is a major theme as well as dreams, as the title suggests.
Joe Calarco directed the play, and had an aim of “emphasizing the Irish and Scottish mythology of the Fairy world depicted in the play.” Everything was coordinated well from costumes to set design. The set was realistic and added to the tone of the play, in that the audience could imagine being in a forest on a warm summer night, with only the light of the moon and stars.
The performance was set on one stage. The moon and stars illuminate the backdrop of the stage. Although everything takes place at night, the stage is far from too dark. The lighting is significant to the tone and mood of the play.
Overall, the play was performed well by talented actors. It was fairly easy to interpret and is highly recommended to anyone who likes Shakespeare’s work or is just in the mood for a romantic comedy.
Grade: A-
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