Review by Rowan Macfie
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1 May 2011 in Dance & Drama, Highland, Moray, Showcase
OneTouch Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 30 April 2011
MORAY-based Wildbird’s adaptation returns to the stage this Spring, leading a Shakespeare classic out of the forest and into the more intimidating world of modern celebrity culture.
Scriptwriter Nick Fearne has remolded and twisted the original text into a hilarious escapade of fame-crazed wannabes and mystical paparazzi. Set appropriately to a soundtrack of Lady Gaga, it tumbles through a manic whirlwind of lightning fast costume changes, razor sharp comic delivery and effortless character shifts.
Emma Anderson, Belle Jones and Melissa Paterson
The condensing of the cast list has led to all the characters, with a few omissions, being played by just four actors. While this might have been a challenge for a less able company, Wildbird takes this effortlessly in its stride.
At the throwing on of a jacket or scrunching down of a sock, Snug becomes Titania and Demetrius becomes Bottom. Oh, and did I mention that they are all played by young women? Take a bow Belle Jones, Danielle Farrow, Emma Anderson and Melissa Paterson.
The set was near perfect marriage of old and new: an idyllic petal scattered setting against a backdrop of hyper-neon projections. While for the most part this complemented the pace and themes of the performance, I felt that at times it strayed into the realms of an overenthusiastic Power Point.
The process of transferring Shakespeare into a modern day setting is riddled with pitfalls, which the production has nimbly overcome through wit and ingenuity. Those qualities made it accessible to the younger audience, but the production also retains the respect of the older generation through a great degree of loyalty to the original verse and storyline.
This is the kind of adaptation that can convince young people that there is more to the Bard than self-importance and long soliloquys filled with confusing language. Shakespeare isn’t just for a dusty library or a high school syllabus. It’s applicable to everyone, whatever century they happen to live in.
© Rowan Macfie, 2011
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Who would have thought that Shakespeare could be so outrageously funny! An extremely clever piece of theatre superbly acted by four talented young actors. My cheeks were sore laughing! A great night out.
Thank you for amendment and appreciation – it’s always great to get feedback and public plus positive is the best!
For anyone wishing to see the show (or spread the word), Wildbird’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is on again at The Byre Theatre, St. Andrews, 23rd June 2011.
An appropriate and well written review for a really fantastic wee show.
Thank you Danielle! I really enjoyed the show.
Danielle
My error, not Rowan’s. I’ve corrected the caption. I don’t even have an excuse, since I was also at the show, and agree entirely with Rowan’s enthusiastic assessment.
Kenny
Thank you for the review and appreciation of this Wildbird production – it was a fun evening appearing at Eden Court!
Please note, though, that the central figure in the image is Belle Jones and not me (Danielle Farrow).