Shakespeare + 80s Prom=?????

review by Jack Duggan

            I promise you, your prom was nothing like this. This adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Tyler Dobrowsky, was an interesting show to say the least.  Instead of setting the play in ancient Greece as it normally would be, the play was set in an 80s prom. However, the show used the original Shakespeare script.  This made for a very interesting viewing experience.  The arena like setup in the Trinity Repertory Company was very exciting.   The actors would run into the stands and sometimes even interact with the audience.  It was apparent that the actors were all very comfortable on stage.  In many instances, the actors improvised small movements or lines.  The one place where the play faltered was the acting.  Some actors/actresses gave believable performances, however not all did so.  At times, it seemed certain characters were a bit corny, or stale. Like all shows there were successes and failures.

            One major success from the show was the integration of 80s music into the story. They chose fun recognizable songs that provided several much-needed entertaining moments to the show.   The songs they choose also correlated with what was happening in that particular moment in the show.  However, it seemed like only a handful of the characters sung, or played an instrument.  I personally would have liked to see more of the characters sing.   I also felt that other than the music, very little 80s culture was in the play.   If I had not been previously told that it was set at an 80s prom, I would not have known.   More needed to be done to differentiate this story from the original.  The original script did not work well in the 80s theme.  Especially in regards to the ending.   In the original play the characters get married, however these were all high school students.  If one did not go into the play with a previous understanding of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, they may have been very confused. 

            Humor was one place in which this show thrived. All of the actors were very funny, and the audience was clearly entertained by the show.  Like all shows, some characters were funnier than others, but it seemed as though at least every character had at least one or two humorous moments. Not every joke hit home, but the majority of them got a laugh from the audience.  The humor was the only thing keeping the show entertained.   If not for the humor, this show would have been hard to enjoy.

            Overall, A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a fairly entertaining show, but definitely could be improved upon.  However, even though the show had its problems, it served its purpose. The audience was entertained while watching.  I would not strongly recommend to rush out and see this show, but it is worth a watch if nothing else is around.