O faithful readers who are so patient with our radio silence, I am delighted to offer you the video evidence of our busy spring. Please enjoy all two hours and fourteen minutes of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by me and tech directed by Darwin. If you are tracking young Darwins, look for Helena, Francis Flute, one of the fairies, and small Robin Starveling (the Moon).
This performance is our last show, in which actors were getting punchy. By Sunday afternoon I was worn to a frazzle, and as I watched things happen on stage that I'd never seen before, I thought, "I've lost control of this production." But the energy was big and fun, especially in Act 3.2, which we dubbed "the fight scene.
Theater is a temporary medium, and sometimes one feels a bit melancholy when a show is done and dismantled, never to be seen again. I'm glad to have a memento of our production, and so pleased to be able to share it with you.
4 comments:
That worked out very well!
If there's any play that can handle things getting a bit out of control through exuberance, it's definitely this one, with its layers and layers of theatricality (the artificial theatricality of the mechanicals, the melodramatic theatricality of the gentles, the surreal theatricality of the fairies) all going a bit off the rails, as the theatrical is wont to do.
Wonderful writing.
Thank you so much for sharing! We (homeschool group) did that play in a friend's backyard when my oldest (almost as old as your oldest) was 11. She played Peter Quince, my 8yo non-reader learned the "Over hill, over dale" fairy part, my 6yo was one of the Peaseblossom contingent along with his friend who agreed on the condition he could wear camo pants as Mustardseed :-) and my 2-4mo old rode along in the sling, Friday after windy spring Friday. It is such a fun play to do, and we all enjoyed watching your performance! I loved seeing the "punchy"ness you mentioned. I sent a link to my former P. Quince who now is a regular at her college improv gp, because I know she would get a kick out of both the play and the personal additions! (Thanks for helping us spot Darwins, too - You each did a fabulous, highly enjoyable job!)
I also love that you arranged music for the fairies! So lovely. I found myself having to compose music for other Shakespeare we have done - no more in my training than directing is, but that's how it works out - but I think our Midsummer was song-less. It was the first we did.
Hmmm...now I'm thinking about redoing it next year, with my former fairies as two of the lovers and all the little up-and-coming younger generation of our group filling in behind.... It would be a great one to gather the young new actors into a love of Shakespeare! (Ah, May, full of happy plans for the unspoilt upcoming year with no mistakes in it yet, while the old year is still alternately dragging and galloping its wellworn, patch-ed self to its inevitable end.)
Applause (especially for Helena).
Post a Comment