Review Of A Midsummer Night's Dream By William Shakespeare

The name Shakespeare is one almost everyone should know. His plays are classics that have been taken on by numerous directors, each putting their own spin and interpretations to the meaning Shakespeare tried to express in his writings. Having heard so many fascinating and great things about his plays in general, I was very excited to watch my very first Shakespearean play. Walking in to A Midsummer Night’s Dream with an open mind, what I was about to experience came to be a surprise. From the beginning of this review I’ll admit, I was actually let down by the production. As a whole, there were many intriguing elements to it. However, to put it simply, it was quite peculiar. Although I was warned ahead of time that it was a hard play to follow, …show more content…
I think the story line of the play was enjoyable, but the way it was played out took away from its charm. Starting with the actors, the first thing I noticed was their casual attire. I figured that had been an intentional deed imposed by the director. Personally, I felt that took away from part of the suspension of disbelief matter in the play. I couldn’t quite submerge myself in this world they were in while most of the characters dressed in a causal sweater. Yet, when it came to the fairies the director decided to keep a unique and colorful look for them. Past the way they were dressed, some of the actors didn’t exert enough gestures and movement to make it feel more believable. For example, the actor that played Oberon/Theseus was quite stiff in the beginning of the play. When he stood and spoke out to the audience his hands were usually still. He had lots of expression in his voice, but wouldn’t portray that with his body language as well. It was something I noticed initially but eventually I came to like his character. …show more content…
One of them was the actor who played Helena. She had so much energy, and with her movements she expressed everything she said. This actually turned to make her quite funny. Her facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice made me feel like she really fit the part of Helena. Also, I enjoyed the character Hermia. She was tiny and fun. She just had the subtle charm to her. And without much effort I found myself laughing at her jokes. Even she had great facial expressions that portrayed how she was feeling. The last character, who had brought me to tears from laughing so hard, was Flute. He had a minor role in the production, but what made me like him so much was he was good at keeping his role going even when things weren’t going as planned. I think that when you taking on a role, especially in a play, you need to have that ability to keep the show