Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream RSC (2024) - REVIEW

Rosie Sheehy as Puck A Midsummer Night's Dream

Royal Shakespeare Theatre 2024

Photograph Pamela Raith (c) RSC

A Midsummer Night's Dream 

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon (until 30 March 2024)

Directed by Eleanor Rhode

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Using a popular French phrase to describe key elements of this production of The Bard's A Midsummer Night's Dream seems a little out of place, but the direction and input of illusion designer, John Bulleid, definitely adds a certain 'je ne sais quoi' to this play.

The company have created an unmissable version of 'Dream' with high quality stage management and live music that is so in tuned with the actors as they perform it is wonderful to behold.

The human characters are placed in modern day. The dress and the hairstyles suggests New Romantics 1980s, the synthesizer sound (popular in music at the time) is another clue to that end. Nevertheless it is a time that pre dates mobile phones because, after all, this is a famous tale centred around miscommunication and escapsim at its core. 

As for the presentation of the fantasy world (the so called dream world) with those wonderful fairy characters - this is one of the loveliest visual experiences one could wish to see live. Rosie Sheehy completely captivates as Puck.

It is the enchantments in ‘Dream’ which messes with the minds and love interests of the characters and with all of the misunderstanding and confusion which goes hand in hand with that; there is much scope for the comedy to really come into play. Ryan Hutton is particularly animated and playful with his portrayal of Lysander.

The really funny lines and action is attached to the tradespeople playing amateur 'troupe' members who put on their play (within the play), led, of course, by star of stage, screen, film and radio Mathew Baynton who is an absolute hoot as Bottom, he, Helen Monks as Peter Quince, Mitesh Soni as Flute; Premi Tamang as Starveling, Laurie Jamieson as Snug and Emily Cundick as Snout are hugely entertaining.

No negatives, this is a production that is expertly directed and is artistically perfect!  

Review by Theatre Critic, Debra Hall who attend the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon, on Thursday 22 February 7.15 pm

References

Hall, D.

https://notcompulsory.blogspot.com/2023/07/shakespeares-midsummer-nights-dream.html

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production photography image file (19 Feb)

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) A Midsummer Night's Dream printed programme (2024)

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) What's On https://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on

https://supernaturaldesharnia.weebly.com/the-actors.html

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Stratford Upon Avon
Photograph (c)debrahall(2024)