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A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Criterion Theatre

Reviewed – 10th December 2019

★★★★

“If you need a boost, a good laugh and some quality theatre, get yourself along to enjoy this treat of a show.”

This production by the National Youth Theatre, in association with Knee High, is delightful. It was lovely to see and hear the energetic and talented young cast speaking Shakespeare as naturally as if they were out with their mates; different accents relished too.

The NYT says in the programme, ‘We are more than a theatre company. We put young people centre stage. We empower young people to be part of something BIGGER. We create amazing shows. We nurture tomorrow’s creatives …We celebrate the individuality and diversity of Britain’s youth in all it’s forms.’ In this production they showcased a wonderful ensemble who brought Shakespeare’s cherished comedy to vibrant life and kept the audience well entertained.

Bottom was played by Jemima Mayala with enormous energy and bubbling humour. She had us all in stitches, and she can really sing too. Ella Dacres gave us a contemporary teenage Puck, mischievous and cool and Bede Hodgkinson was a remarkably strong and mature Oberon, with more humanity in his fairy meddling that is often evident. Helena and Hermia, played by Jamie Foulks and Julia Kass were particularly fun in the famous row in the woods. It worked having a male Helena, and Foulks managed it without a trace of affectation. Billy Hinchliff’s Lysander was so changed by the fairy influence that he became a posturing, hilarious dandy, strutting and puffing out his chest, a bit like a bonobo on heat. It was brilliant. Every cast member, even those with smaller parts, was memorable; Jordan Ford Silver’s Wall and Joseph Payne’s Lion were lovely comedy gems, and Raj Singh made his little ‘moon’ shine brightly.

Director Matt Harrison has allowed his young cast to unleash their naturalness and enjoyment in this ageless text, giving it a contemporary, playful and relatable feel. The abridgement was accomplished by Kate Kennedy without losing any of the essential story or charm of the piece, and bringing it in at ninety minutes. The action is set in Athens on Sea, a playful imagining with a waltzer car, a fish and chip shop and balloons, a perfect setting for the action, which includes some punchy dance numbers, choreographed by Rebecca Cuthbertson and performed with sparkle and pzazz by the ensemble.

This was the first National Youth Theatre production that I have seen, and it won’t be the last. If you need a boost, a good laugh and some quality theatre, get yourself along to enjoy this treat of a show.

Reviewed by Katre

Photography by Helen Murray

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Criterion Theatre until 17th January

Previously reviewed at this venue:

The Comedy About a Bank Robbery | ★★★★★ | April 2018

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★★★

“had such potential but the jumping narrative resulted in an unclear message”

This all-female cast took us on a journey, jumping through huge swaths of history to examine the allegations of witchcraft against women. But maybe they bit off more than they could chew by switching between the historical testimonies of the victims and the story of a modern woman, dealing with the death of her mother.

Incognito Theatre Company’s production has been highly anticipated since the success of their last production ‘Tobacco Road’. However, ‘The Burning’ didn’t quite hit the mark that I expected. The ideas shown are intriguing and offer interesting new insights into a topic that can often be summarised by showing voiceless victims of extreme injustice. ‘The Burning’ also presents a novel slant on the printing press as a platform for men to create and implement legislation against women.

The ensemble (Keturah Chambers, Jennie Eggleton, Kimberley Hallam, Phoebe Parker) were skilled in their portrayal of various roles. They used quick costume changes to switch between characters. This was accompanied by slightly questionable accents, that were distracting. It would have been more effective for them to play to their strengths by marking different people by changing their physicality. The movement direction (Ingrid McKinnon and Roberta Zuric) used within the piece was strong and is something that could definitely be utilised more. The strongest moments were when the actors repeated ritualised moves, reminiscent of conjuring.

A key feature of this production was the use of live and recorded sound. Vocal looping of eerie sound effects created a thick and tense atmospheric. This was complemented by design elements (Helena Bonner) such as the repeated use of dry ice and red and blue wash lights. The set was fairly simple as the actors used three wooden blocks to create change within the scenes. In general, the handling of props was well rehearsed and slick.

Where the production fell flat was its structure. The piece went between two main story strands: that of the legacy of different witch trials and that of a modern day woman discovering these stories. The link between the two narratives became entangled in a way that felt forced and disjointed. This let the show down, as the actors were committed and clearly highly competent. This piece had such potential but the jumping narrative resulted in an unclear message. The cast forcefully delivered a final call to action at the end but, as audience members, we were left unsure as to what we were being asked to rally for or against.

Reviewed by Emily Morris

Photography by Marko Marsenic

Tag Archives: Helena Bonner

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

★★★★

Criterion Theatre