[NEOPAL]Berko review: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (Actors' Summit)

[Roy Berko]

Delightful ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM’ at Actors’
Summit

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

Seeing Shakespeare at American theatres, especially a
theatre that doesn’t specialize in classical
productions, can be a forbidding experience.  Fear
not.  In general, Actors Summit’s ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S
DREAM’ is a delightful experience.

Less is known about ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM’ than
most of Shakespeare’s writings.  Not only the date at
which it was written, but why the play was scribed is
up for discussion.  It is assumed to have been
developed between 1594 and 1596, early in
Shakespeare’s life. It might have been written for an
aristocratic wedding.  Some Elizabethan scholars
suggest it was written for the Queen to celebrate the
feast day of St. John.

Also, in contrast to Shakespeare’s pattern for many of
his other offerings, there is no known source for the
play’s plot.  One theory is that it is loosely based
on “The Knight's Tale” from Chaucer's ‘CANTERBURY
TALES.’

Though popular with viewers, most critics agree that
the comedy is not one Shakespeare’s best plays.

The story features three interlocking plots, all of
which are connected by marriage.  Two couples, Hermia
and Lysander and Helena and Demetrius, run away into
the fairyland forest in order to avoid forced
marriages, are pulled apart and then brought together
through some shenanigans pulled off by the impish folk
character Puck.  The third couple, Oberon and Titania,
the King and Queen of the Fairies, are also in a
love/hate/love situation.  Add a play within a play by
a group of inept actors, and we have some wonderful
light and joyous moments.

As one critic stated, “If ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM’
can be said to convey a message, it is that the
creative imagination is in tune with the supernatural
world and is best used to confer the blessings of
nature upon mankind and marriage.”

Actors’ Summit’s production is filled with many very
good and some mediocre acting.  Kathleen Cutter is
delightful as Hermia. Alicia Kahn lights up the stage
as Helena.  She has a wonderful sparkle in her voice
and face which compels one to smile and empathize with
her as she speaks.  Andrew Narten (Lysander) and Noah
Varness (Demetrius), are both fine and help complete
the charming duet of lovers.    A. Neil Thackaberry,
as Theseus, and Sally Groth (Hippolyta) playfully
create the mature couple.  Though he sometimes knows
no restraint, Peter Voinovich was the audience
favorite as Bottom, the weaver who turns into a
jackass.  

Bob Parenti, playing the dual roles of Egeus, father
of Hermia and Quince, a carpenter stumbled over a
number of his lines and was often unbelievable.  Puck
needs to be impish, charming, delightful.  Sasha
Thackaberry was simply not “puckish” enough, often
becoming slave to the poetic rhyming pattern. 

Mary Jo Alexander’s costume designs were wonderful as
was the creatively designed set.

Director A. Neil Thackaberry has shortened the play so
that it runs two-hours, including intermission.  No
one, except a Shakespeare scholar, will realize that
there have been cuts in the script.  He has paced the
show well and wisely has his actors using
Shakespearean dialogue with General American
pronunciation which results in ease of understanding. 

Actors’ Summit received a large grant to perform
matinees for area students.  Over 1000 young people
will be exposed to Shakespeare through this anonymous
grant.  It can only be hoped that the donor will see
fit next year and for years to come to make money
available to allow area students to experience the
wonders of live theatre.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:   Actors’ Summit’s ‘A MIDSUMMER
NIGHTS DREAM’ is a delightful offering well worth
seeing.  

For tickets to the production, which runs through
April 9, call 330-342-0800 or go on line to
www.actorssummit.org.  There are still some seats
available for the student matinees.  Call the theatre
for information.


Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.

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