Writer: William Shakespeare
Director: Sean Turner
Shakespeare wrote that the course of true love never did run smooth. Well, the same could be said for the annual Stafford Shakespeare Festival. Following two years of Covid-inflicted cancellations, then just one year back at its usual home of Stafford Castle, this year financial constraints have forced a move indoors to the Gatehouse Theatre – and it has to be said that the venue and the company have pulled out all the stops to make it a special event.
The front of house areas are bedecked with greenery and illuminated trees. A musician plays gently in the corner of the bar. Then inside the auditorium you find yourself outside a Greek taverna bathed in Mediterranean sunshine. This is Midsummer Night’s Dream but set in Greece in the 1930s. The set by Anna Philips has yet more wonders to reveal too, as it folds down into a magical forest beautifully lit by Barry Smith’s design.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s more accessible plays, and every effort has been made here to make it more so. As well as recognisable locations, there are characters here that you can relate to too and the plot, although apparently complex, is very easy to follow and often very funny.
This Dream as a dream cast too. Kerry Ellis, better known for her numerous West End musical roles, dips her toes into her first Shakespeare role as Titania with a haughty grandeur which occasionally misses the magical fairy-like aspects of the character. Dan Burton’s Oberon is a dominating presence whenever he’s on stage, leaving you in no doubt who’s in charge in this forest and Will Taylor gives us a nicely mischievous Puck, whose mistake about who to give the magic potion to starts all the mayhem off.
Our quartet of mortal lovers are characters you can recognise and relate to. Hermia (Milly Zero) trying to escape an arranged marriage by eloping with her lover Lysander (Richard Logun), pursued by thwarted fiancé Demetrius (James Bradwell) and Hermia’s friend Helena (Noa Nikita Bleeker) who wants Demetrius for herself. All approach their roles with skill and create characters whose plight is endearing and their confusion equally funny and touching.
As usual, though it’s the Mechanicals who steal the show bringing some wonderful comedy to the piece with characters that are very believable. Amy Revelle is a frustrated Quince, who’s trying to direct the entertainment and constantly struggling with the incompetence and arguments of her cast, and Jonathan Hyde a gloriously overbearing Bottom who thinks he knows everything and believes he should take on every role. Daniel Copeland is a wonderfully funny Snout playing Wall, with some excellent visual comedy. Megan Marszal (Snug) is an enjoyable shy lion who comes onto her own when faced with an audience, and Elaine Hua Jones a nicely put-upon Starveling. Flute (Olivier Sublet), despite fighting against playing the role, gives us a touching rendering of Thisbe’s suicide when the time comes as a nice contrast to the mayhem taking place around him.
Director Sean Taylor has wrought every bit of comedy he can from a play that is at times almost a farce, with business and sideways glances. This is a delightful version of a Shakespeare classic that will have you smiling throughout. If there’s a fault it’s that the play takes too long getting going. There’s a dumb show setting the scene, with people drinking coffee and tourists arriving, all to the background of music by Stamatis Seraphim (another high point of the production), and while it does a great job in transporting you to Greece it could do with shortening just a little.
Nonetheless this is a great evening out – and whether or not you’re a lover of Shakespeare, if you want to be entertained you’ll find a lot to enjoy here.
Runs until 9 July 2023
