Saturday 12th October 2024 at Leeds Grand Theatre
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is undoubtedly one of Shakespeare’s greatest works. Inventive, playful and magical with a characteristically dark underbelly, the twisted tale of supernatural beings toying with amorous (or plain foolish) mortals is a real winner. Here, the tale takes shape as a three act opera with music by Benjamin Britten and text by Britten and Peter Pears (after Shakespeare, naturally). Directed by Martin Duncan (revival director: Matthew Eberhardt) and conducted by Garry Walker, the story works nicely in its musicalised form, but it has to be said that this almost blank space staging sacrifices a fair bit of the magic of the piece.
As ever, the Opera North company is awash with talent and the vocals are wonderfully dexterous, particularly beautiful when it comes to the harmonies delivered by the lovers and workmen. As the almighty fairy rulers, James Laing’s Oberon offers an impressive softness I wouldn’t expect from the role while Daisy Brown’s Tytania is all power.
When it comes to the Athenians existing in a maze of crossed wires and misdirected potions, Camilla Harris’ Helena is a perfectly sound victim of love and circumstance while Siân Griffiths cuts the perfect figure of the entitled beauty as Hermia. Peter Kirk’s Lysander and James Newby’s Demetrius are sharply contrasted – and give the production some welcome playful silliness as they vie for the attentions of Helena at the height of the play’s entertaining chaos.
Alongside the lost lovers and the feuding fairies we have a gaggle of local workmen who are roughly working on a play, Pyramus and Thisbe. The famously ridiculous and egocentric Nick Bottom is given a great outing by Henry Waddington, who really leans into the blind wilfulness of the character in one of the best performances of the evening. The other workmen represent various degrees of acting ability and education, paving the way for some great comedy which in truth feels slightly muted here. Aside from Waddington’s Bottom, it’s Daniel Abelson’s wild and frenetic Puck who carries the comedy moments of the piece.
Britten’s approach conjures creepy fairy attendants to Tytania as opposed to any milder interpretations – and here Ashley Martin-Davis’ costumes mark the child cast out as a mildly unnerving militant display; all in white except for their dark wings, and all sporting identical blonde bobs as they march about the space in service of their mistress (Choreography: Ben Wright). The concept is totally sound – the magical entities are always up to no good, but it does mean that another layer of whimsy and lightness is sacrificed. Of course, this may well be rookie me getting lost in the translation from play to opera, but I suspect not…
In the same vein, the forest conjured by Johan Engels’ set design is a blank space: transparent sheets of white plastic dangle from above, reminiscent of the corrugated iron roofing of an industrial estate. Strings of colourless balloons hover above in non-uniform formation. Aside from a quirky chair and some pillows used to indicate Tytania’s dwelling, the stage space hangs in this monochrome limbo for the duration – and while it may represent a clever invisible realm or some such creative concept, it has to be said that such choices sacrifice the atmosphere of Shakespeare’s famous forest.
Aside from the silver costuming of Oberon and Tytania, or scenes involving the lovers clad in their loud flower power dress, it’s only really in Bruno Poet’s lighting designs that we see notable colour or vibrancy. It’s certainly a striking interpretation, but I struggled to find the usual joy and magic I so look forward to with this tale.
All in all, Shakespeare’s marvelous story is crisp and clear here, and the cast are wonderful – the staging will engage and entertain for many, but for those looking to bask in the magical fairyland of the rich forests of Arden, and the abundance of quirky comedy along the way, may well find this production wanting.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream has dates at Leeds Grand Theatre until October 31st 2024 – more information and tickets can be found here.
Always Time For Theatre 
I found it not nearly as good a production as you – and the gollum-like Puck was, I thought, really the worst idea of the evening! I loved the Mechanicals esp Bottom and thought they had by far the best of the evening and Henry Waddington was the best performance of the evening by a country mile. (Oberon was hardly regal and Tytania not very striking) and, like you, I struggled to find the usual joy and magic I was so much looking forward to.
LikeLike