At the RSC A Midsummer Night’s Dream feels like a rite of passage for any director, and the fiercely talented Eleanor Rhode has directed one that places the focus on the Dream within the title. The oft-performed text, a mainstay of school curriculums, follows four lovers into the Athenian forest, who come unstuck as the fairies in residence get up to mischief. Throw in a band of actors (known as the Mechanicals) and you have a play that delights, particularly in this iteration.
Dream blends together a strong ensemble, synced with technical magic. One of the true standouts on the night is Premi Tamang, who has stepped in as Puck and shown the breadth of talent within an RSC ensemble. Premi’s Puck is a warm, inviting presence, equal parts mischievous and compassionate, and the performer is clearly relishing the chance to play such a beloved role. They’re also key to the power of the fairies in this production, one that marries the ethereal quality that makes them feel eternal (and the humans their playthings) but adds a dash of, dare I say, humanity to them. They are kind, caring figures, even when warring with each other. There is a compassion to both Sirine Saba’s Titania and Bally Gill’s Oberon that blends intriguingly with their own ferocity. Beautifully tender moments between fairies and humans add much to Rhode’s vision.
Dawn Sievewright, Nicholas Armfield, Ryan Hutton and Boadicea Ricketts are an effective grouping as the production’s lovers, bringing strong characterization and wringing out humour in their line deliveries. The quarrelsome quartet come apart and crash together, their bodies choreographed and contorted to amusing affect.
At times the Mechanicals feel a tad lost in this version of Dream. A sweet band, they truly only make an impact in the finale, where their play-within-a-play takes hold. Mathew Baynton, the production’s big draw (his face is splashed across the marketing), is an effective Bottom, the performer gaining laughs in mimicking classic Shakespearean poses in a self-deprecating manner. Helen Monks’ Peter Quince also leaves a mark, particularly in a late-in-the-day rap. But it just feels like something is missing here. Perhaps it is the absence of magic that so surrounds the rest of the production.
And there is an abundance of magic in Dream. John Bulleid’s magical illusions and Matt Daw’s lighting design envelop the production. Cast members interact with the lights and sounds around them. Lucy Osborne’s design is a mix of sleek and dreamy, a clear stage giving room for the performers to move around. Costumes are drawn from a multitude of eras. The top of the stage is decked with cloud-like balls that light up, their colour acting as a mood ring. Moments of surrealism pop in, with the use of back projection as well as items cascading down on actors. Will Gregory (of Goldfrapp fame) has composed a score that blends styles and genres to create an otherworldly effect. It’s a giddy treat the moments when all of Dream come together for theatrical magic.
This night in