As one enters the Brooks Theatre for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the stage set looks rather unfinished, with large sheets of canvas on both sides and around the back wall. One, then two actors come on stage, and before you know it, you’re whirled into the world of make believe—big-time.
Director Mark Alan Gordon (Associate Director of the prestigious joint actor training program) keeps his corps of twenty-something actors moving briskly through his slightly abridged version of Shakespeare’s mad comedy. The acting is routinely superb; in fact, one never gets the idea that the performers are acting, as what happens on stage is so real.
Lelund Durond Thompson is the dignified Theseus and entirely majestic Oberon, King of the Spirits. His beautiful consort as Hippolyta and Titania is Bailey Varness, sporty in jodphurs and boots or regal in white satin. The Puck of Elizabeth A. Davis is one for the ages: she is sinuous, fey, and apparently made of rubber. Or else she studied movement with a caterpillar! Both she and Thompson are very athletic in their performances on the small Brooks stage. In order to make himself invisible at one point, Thompson does a standing back flip, drawing gasps from the audience. Davis cartwheels back and forth, even bouncing off walls occasionally.
Joshua John McKay needs to be seen as Nick Bottom in order to be believed. A small bit of makeup is all that’s needed to convert him into the ass with whom Titania falls in love. He manages the rest of it with his voice and body movements that look painful while being hilarious to watch.
Nicole Fitzpatrick as Helena is a tall young lady, whose legs would seem to start somewhere around her ears. Her cat-fights with the petite, frolicksome Hermia of Kimberly Weston are both fun and convincing. Tom White as Lysander and Jason Miller as Demetrius square off at regular intervals, against each other and their changing lady loves. As Peter Quince, the playwright within the play, Miller is hilarious, especially in the final scene, when he portrays Wall. Samuel Holloway tackles two roles: the elderly Egeus (father of Hermia) and the somewhat bashful Lion in Quince’s play. John DiAntonio as both Moonshine and Titania’s Spirit and Noah Varness as Flute are bumptiously true to life.
When the scene changes to the enchanted forest setting, the players remove the canvas hangings, revealing gorgeous paintings of trees and flowers in bright jelly-bean colors, the work of scenic designer Jill Davis. At times, the panels appeared to be back-lit, adding an extra degree of realism. Lighting design by Maureen Patterson complements the paintings providing a moon and stars above, while sound by Robin Heath provides crowd noises or birds singing in the imaginary trees.
The costumes by Kristine E. Davies were terrific—ranging from formal 1920s wear in the opening and closing scenes to informal, rather fantastic (to allow for the gymnastics) creamy-colored wear for Oberon and Puck—to workclothes for the players in the forest. Puck’s wig of leaves and twigs adds to her fey appearance.
In Triumph of Love by Pierre Marivaux, Elizabeth A. Davis assumes the pants role of a brash young man. There were plenty of references to her real identity as Princess Leonide, but she was entirely convincing, overall. The play could as easily have been titled ‘The Power of Words’ as she switched viewpoints faster than most folks could change hats.
Written in 1732, the plot concerns a young princeling, Agis, whose throne was usurped by Leonide’s father. She wants to give it back to him, but after falling in love with him at first sight, decides instead to become his wife. This is not an easy task, as Agis (Joshua John McKay) has been raised by—and still lives with—the middle-aged philosopher, Hermocrate, (Jason Miller) and his sister Leontine (Nicole Fitzpatrick.) Hermocrate does not believe in romantic love, and has convinced his sister and his ward to share his beliefs.
Fortunately for Leonide (and us) two of Hermocrate’s servants, Dimas (Lelund Durond Thompson) and Harlequin (Samuel Holloway) do not share their employer’s beliefs. Of course, the fact that Leonide is wealthy and willing to share her wealth may also have something to do with the willing connivance of the two clowns. Or maybe it’s another case of love, as Harlequin is quite taken with Leonide’s servant Corina (Bailey Varness).
Leonide’s quick-silver mind—and formidable debating skills—allow her to find herself promised in marriage to Hermocrate (as a girl), Leontine (as a boy) and Agis (as a girl). In lesser hands, this development could generate distaste for the brash princess who, after all, wants only to triumph in love. In the end, however, all parties seem reconciled to their new understanding of life and love—and each other.
Director Jonathan Silverstein uses all the theatrical tricks at his disposal to keep the action humming and the farce light. He draws wonderful portrayals from his actors, especially the two clowns Dimas and Harlequin, togged out in commedia dell’arte style. The lavish costumes are by Melanie Boeman, while Jill Davis has designed a believable formal garden setting, complete with pedestals and topiaries and multiple pathways for quick getaways! Lighting Designer Maureen Patterson and Sound Designer Robin Heath enhance and add to the proceedings.
There are still three performances of Midsummer and two of Triumph available before the final curtain. Visit the Play House web-site: http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com or call (216) 795-7000 for ticket availability.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz ArtsWriteratAdelphia.net (:divend:)