It seems that the reviews of A Midsummer Night's Dream are a mixed bag. The critics can't seem to agree whether staging the production against the psychedelic backdrop of the late 1960s is inspired or incomprehensible. I have to say it worked for me. The woodland fairy world seems to represent an altered state of consciousness. And an altered state of consciousness is obviously the state that many of the characters reside in, having been drugged by the mischievous fairies so the parallels with 1960s hippy trippy subculture, for me, seem extremely clear. Plus, the set, lighting, use of space and costumes add up to a fantastical visual spectacle. There seems to be a divide over pace also with some saying it rattles along and others that it is on go slow.There are some stunning performances. For me, Kieran Hill as Bottom, was wonderful. Charming and charismatic but also willing to also make a bit of an ass of himself to hilarious effect. Paula Jennings is captivating as the sensuous, nay, sexy Titania (am rethinking whether to bring my husband to this one as I think he is more than likely to fall under her spell!). According to a lot of the gentlemen I spoke to her white mini dress played a mesmerising supporting role!! I also loved Russell Dixon as Peter Quince who managed to have the audience in stitches without uttering a word and the very watchable Kiruna Stamell...
Judging by the laughter and resounding applause coming from the very young audience on Friday afternoon, it seems that they enjoyed it immensely, despite the running time of over 3 hours. So perhaps, and dare I say it for risk of offending, this one will enjoyed by the young or the young at heart....
"THE debate as to whether or not time and place should be tampered with in Shakespeare’s plays will rage for as long as his work is staged, but if the Bard was to witness this mesmerising production he would surely send a sonnet of approval in the direction of the Octagon." THE BOLTON NEWS Read more here...
"All in all, this is a passionate, gripping and humorous version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with standout performances from Kieran Hill (as Bottom), Russell Dixon (as Peter Quince) and, of course, the multi-talented music fairy, Carol Sloman. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, find the romance within you and head towards the intimate Bolton Octagon- as this Dream is well worth going to see!" WHAT'S ON STAGE Read more here...
"Despite being a little too long for comfort this is an excellent production of Midsummer Night’s Dream and a fine addition to The Octagon’s programme." THE PUBLIC REVIEWS Read more here...
"David Thacker’s award-winning experience as resident director of the RSC proves invaluable in this potentially exhilarating, accessible, although overlong, production of one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays." THE STAGE Read more here...
"Designer Ashley Shairp’s acid-coloured playground of a forest, teeming with bouncing balls and magic lanterns, seems to unleash the potential in every character... Vanessa Kirby’s heart-broken Helena sets the stage alight... Rob Edwards’ magisterial Oberon... Kieran Hill makes an unusually good-looking Bottom... Russell Dixon’s Peter Quince runs off with the comedy honours... The handling of the verse is uniformly excellent, and David Thacker’s inspired use of the entire auditorium really brings the show alive..." UK THEATRE NET Read more here...
And a transcript of Clitheroe Advertiser's review here...
Director David Thacker and designer Ashley Shairp have had a ball in creating the Octagon’s production of one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – both literally and metaphorically!
This is a wonderful psychedelic interpretation set in 1967, the summer of love in San Francisco, the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper, Cardin and Courregges, and also anti-Vietnam war protests and the coup that put the Colonels in charge of a repressive regime in Greece. Theseus’ court is militaristic and his bride-to-be Hippolyta is unhappy. But when the young lovers and the Athenian workmen escape to the woods they find themselves in a surreal world of multi-coloured, multi-sized plastic balls that roll around the stage giving a sense of fun and anarchy, which eventually envelopes everyone.
The diverse cast are terrific. Rob Edwards is both Theseus and a thoughtful, complex Oberon. Paula Jennings is Hippolyta and a wonderfully sexy sixties ‘bird’ as Titania. Rosie Jones, Vanessa Kirby Jake Norton and Nick Underwoood are delightfully charming and confused as the lovers. However, special praise must go to the ‘Rude Mechanicals’ who double as Palace Guards and weirdly costumed fairies. Kieran Hill is an appealing Bottom. Russell Dixon gives another of his superb performances as Peter Quince. His interpretation of Quince delivering the prologue in the play within a play is masterful. They are well supported by some wonderfully comic performances from Laurence Clark, Brendan Quinn, Russell Richardson and Kiruna Stamell. The whole is masterminded by Puck, an unusual but clever interpretation by Leo Atkin. The final act is hilarious.
As I left, I followed several members of the audience who were still giggling, complaining of stomach ache with laughing so much! I was in a similar state plus having the unattainable desire to be able to wear mini-skirts and high-heeled, white PVC boots again!
"Thacker’s biggest success is with most productions’ weak-link, the young lovers caught in their elders’ world...Every line is well-crafted to give meaning...a production where the human spirit replaces external order as the foundation for society." REVIEWSGATE. Read more here...
"the military junta is magically transformed into Sergeant Pepper and his band, and a quartet of young people conduct an experiment in free love aided by mind-altering substances. It's a metaphor so obvious it seems surprising no one has thought of it before, but Thacker's concept fits the play like a velvet glove over an iron fist." THE GUARDIAN Read more...
More reviews
Read British Theatre Guide here
Read Citylife review here
Read Lancashire Evening Post here
A mention in The Observer review here
