A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare’s magical comedy here opens darkly on a ruined wall of old planks and openings, fronted by a clutter of upturned tables and chairs.  No colour or fairy lights in sight.

Indeed, this foreboding atmosphere suits the cruelty at stake in Athens as Theseus orders that Hermia (Ahunim Abebe) must face execution if she doesn’t obey her father and marry Demetrius (Mike Howlett).  Hermia however longs for Lysander (Laurence Young), while her old schoolmate Helena (Isabel Burton) adores the unyielding Demetrius.

All four elope to the forest but are soon lost alone in bewitching nature, a place of mysterious transformation, healing and the magic of playmaking.  Aiding the process is the bogle eyed Fairy King Oberon (an impressive chameleon Richard Pyros) with his hallucinogenic flowers, and wonderful, partly sinister Puck (Ella Prince).   But adding to the forest confusion is Bottom (an expansive Matu Ngaropo) and his lowborn mechanicals gathering to rehearse their play for court, each played by actors also doubling as the lovers and the Fairy King and Queen Titania (Imogen Sage). 

The mechanicals’ scenes are refreshingly sharp with well-practiced comedy and fond   characterisations (director Peter Evans). They’re very funny, and fighting expert Nigel Poulton is also busy delivering the slickly-choreographed, brawling lovers, all of them well-acted if to the edge of silly foot-stamping.

While this doubling, even tripling of roles – with just a quick new cap or robe – sounds confusing, the edited script, the delivery and storytelling has a fine clarity and the words, unusual for Bell Shakespeare, are well-projected by all.  The cast are all convincing and enjoyable, while Prince, Pyros, Ngaropo and Sage are outstanding. 

Teresa Negroponte’s fixed set and cluttered furniture works well functionally but is no vehicle for the otherworldliness of the Dream, despite Benjamin Cisterne’s lighting; her costumes too are dark and modern day.  Max Lyandvert’s music however is beautifully transportive.

BSC is a busy touring company through regional centres and with an admirable focus on schools and young audiences. After Sydney, this production tours through 22 stops across Australia, so the set and cast numbers are necessarily economical. 

This Dream is one of their best, most entertaining recent productions and deserves big audiences. I wonder though if that focus on pleasing young audiences habitually lowers the bar and impedes the BSC’s capacity to produce a truly great Shakespeare.

Martin Portus

Photographer: Brett Boardman

A Midsummer Night’s Dream will travel to:

• The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre, Sutherland | 2 April 2024

• Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith | 4 - 5 April 2024

• Bunbury Entertainment Centre | 9 April 2024

• Albany Entertainment Centre | 11 April 2024

• Margaret River HEART | 13 April 2024

• State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth | 17 – 20 April 2024

• Arts Centre Melbourne | 25 April – 11 May 2024

• Westside Performing Arts Centre, Shepparton | 14 May 2024

• Monash University, Melbourne | 16 May 2024

• Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool | 18 May 2024

• Horsham Town Hall | 21 May 2024

• Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre | 23 May 2024

• Geelong Arts Centre | 25 – 26 May

• Orange Civic Theatre | 30 May 2024

• Capitol Theatre Tamworth | 1 June 2024

• The Art House, Wyong | 4 June 2024

• Canberra Theatre Centre | 7 – 15 June 2024

• Wagga Wagga Civic Centre | 18 June 2024

• Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre | 20 June 2024

• Goulburn Performing Arts Centre | 23 June 2024

• Mildura Arts Centre | 26 June 2024

• Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs | 29 June 2024