Leave Shakespeare Alone

Heaven Bellamy

3/10/17

Watching Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Trinity Repertory Theatre on 3/8/17 was a task for those with iron focus. It was lengthy, 80s themed Shakespearean play with peculiar scene changes, and lots of glitter.

The setting was meant to be set at prom, as there were lights, and Hawaiian beach flowers hung to give the room an orange shaded atmosphere. It was hard to, say whether the story was taking place at a high school prom, or a sketchy basement because of the way everything was dimly lit around the audience, and the band. The transitions for locations were the most painful part of the play to watch. At a couple moments, one of the stage crew actually made themselves present as he and the fairies shifted the two spinning stages in the audience. The cast were not untalented actors. They were believable, and mostly well-rehearsed, except for Puck who they forced into tight skinny jeans, and tacky pink spray-on hair spray to take the last minute spot of the originally casted player whose injury was so bad that she could not preform. The character “Nicholas Bottom”, may have been the most unnecessary, but convincing character, however his counterparts were no match to his boatsful and loud bellowing. An off-putting element of the play that had audience members slightly confused was that the seniors in that were supposed to be high school seniors, seemed to be actual senior citizens. No shame or judgment to older actors, but trying to pull off a charming nerd, and an arrogant teenage boy as an older man or woman is very difficult.

The music that was used was definitely nostalgic, and it brought some of the audience members to whisper to the tunes in their seats. However, most of it was live, and while Puck was holding his script, he struggled with holding the notes. Applause to him for being able to survive it. Every time he beckoned an off note, he slowed down, lowered his volume, and let the guitar and bass mask his mistakes.

If you desire to view Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream in a basement-like space, with timid unpaid child actors, and middle aged men and woman trying to pass for teens, then this show is for you. It’s an adorable rendition of Shakespeare’s work that didn’t sit well for myself, however you never know what the next show will be like.