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grondficAs promised (here - https://grondfic.dreamwidth.org/38467.html) behold the POST-visit review of one of the most frequently seen plays in the Bardic canon.
Well, I mentioned diversity in this production – and Whoah! We got it in spadefulls. Even the casting was diverse, comprising gender-blind, gender-changed and doesn’t-matter, who-cares parts.
Thus, Nick Bottom becomes ‘Nicola B’tome’ in a character gender-change, whilst the other members of the Mechanicals - all played by female-identifying actors - are gender-nonspecific (ie no-one mentions the intended gender-identity of each character, but some of them act-female, if I can put it that way without causing any offence!). Egeus is (possibly) cast gender-blind (ie the character remains male, the actor identifies as female). The third category encompasses the attendant-fairies, who (cf. Puck below!) might not be ‘gendered’ at all, having originated in the forest like plants.
Just for information:
Amongst the cast generally, two actors possibly identify as they; two possibly as male; and the rest possibly as female.
In addition the Globe warns for ableism within the play, which is necessary, because the role of Hermia is played by Francesca Mills, who has achondroplasia (a form of dwarfism).
Sooooo – that’s all by way of introduction really. On now, to the review!
In general, the play was fun, and played with great enthusiasm by the cast. However, I did feel that some of the lines were rushed/gabbled, and consequently (in an open-air theatre on a regular plane and helicopter flight-path) inaudible. In addition, the pacing was somewhat uneven and consequently, the ending was rushed and may have had some lines deliberately cut.
So, in retrospect, I found myself thinking things like - did I miss the girdling of the earth in forty minutes? What happened to the broom behind the door? Doesn’t B’tome usually josh with the attendant fairies more than she does here?
To compensate for this, the energy-levels were at an all-time high. This was a predominantly young cast and they took to the dances and set-pieces with great zest and bravado.
In addition, there were some innovative aspects and insights, all of which added up to a fresh look at this most busy of Shakespeare’s works. There were even some questions to ponder after the end of the show! Let us look at some of these:
1. The first thing that I noticed, even before the play began, was that whilst Jack Laskey played both Theseus and Oberon, the roles of his two partners – Hippolyta and Titania were played by Anne Odeke and Marianne Oldham respectively. This clearly implies that we can forget the many recent interpretations (begun by Peter Brook back in 1970), wherein the forest couple are mere alter egos of the Athenian ruler and his wooed-by-the-sword fiancée.
This means (hurrah!) that the whole Realm of Faerie has its own independent existence (even if only visiting in dreams). It also – in this production anyway - frees up Odeke’s Hippolyta to be a willing participant in her marriage; and she appears to be enjoying her position (and the wine!) In contrast, a totally unrecognisable Jack Laskey seems somewhat subdued as Theseus; maybe because he’s stifled in full formal Elizabethan-wear, his face and head covered in probably-removable hair. There were also times when he HAD to have been wearing at least some of his much-skimpier Oberon costume under all the ruffs, big sleeves and puffling pants! Way to stifle any pre-wedding passion!
2. There is no ‘changeling boy’ onstage – in the sense that there was neither a real actor, nor a puppet representing him. The casus belli here is reduced to a vaguely baby-shaped bundle, which is bandied around between Titania, her fairies, and (later) Oberon and Puck.
In fact, when Puck does appear with ‘the child’ after the unwinding of the quarrel, the sprite throws the bundled cloth aside, and it dislimns into a formless heap. Is it therefore a possibility that the whole changeling-boy/love-in-idleness plotline has been nothing but a massive game played by the realm of faerie with, and against, itself? Immortality must be a mighty boring and tedious business, sometimes!
3. And speaking of Puck; in THIS wood, Goodfellow is a very dark being indeed; composed mainly of elements of the forest itself. In fact, so far from human is ‘he’, that the designation It would be more appropriate. Even Its fingers appear to be roots; and Its face (lichen-blotched) is crowned with writhing dry branches and twigs – a touch of winter in midsummer; death in immortality.
Its magic-work is menacing too! Whenever a spell is cast, it is accompanied by a variety of startling sounds from the musicians in the gallery. Puck hurls the four lovers all around the stage whilst messing with their lives. The warring men particularly, are thrown in the air as the spells hit them; and poor Hermia is gratuitously ‘gifted’ the serpent-dream by Puck. It kneels creepily over her torso to bestow it; and she subsequently wakes terrified and alone....
4. Which brings us to the very dark world of the four mortal lovers. The most profound relationship amongst them is undoubtedly between the two school-friends, Hermia and Helena. Played respectively by Francesca Mills and Isobel Thom, they outshine their swains to such an extent that we (mercifully) don’t quite believe Helena when she avers that she will be Demetrius’ dog.
Once Puck starts messing with their heads, the menfolk become completely objectionable. It’s worth remembering that neither of the women-characters are actually bewitched with the love-in-idleness; both remaining true to their respective swains in spite of the very ugly behaviour.
We need to ask – are the men showing their ‘real’ selves as a result of the love-drug? Does Lysander really, in his heart of hearts, regard his beloved as a ‘dwarf’ (yes, it’s him who says the D-word!). Is Demetrius (the most shallow of the four) really just a vacant heart-to-let, swerving first towards Helena, then away towards Egeus’ daughter (maybe not specifically Hermia); and then back to Helena under the influence of the spell.
Either way – those two strong, beautiful women-characters should really remain true to one another, and ditch the aggro!
5. And finally, the OTP of the whole play - Titania and B’tome! Drug or no drug; spell or no spell; ass’s ears or no; those two are MADE for one another. They take to love so joyously, so completely; that one hopes it may last (in some form) beyond the dream for both of them.
And one last observation – Francesca Mills and Mariah Gale between them stole the show. Mills gave great emotional depth, as well as a desperate energy, to Hermia. Gale was just a force of nature; open to all experiences, whether roaring as gently as any sucking dove, or hiccuping her ‘hee-haws’ accompanied by leaps and tail-swishes.
So – a very vigorous, unsettling Dream, verging on nightmare!
Well, I mentioned diversity in this production – and Whoah! We got it in spadefulls. Even the casting was diverse, comprising gender-blind, gender-changed and doesn’t-matter, who-cares parts.
Thus, Nick Bottom becomes ‘Nicola B’tome’ in a character gender-change, whilst the other members of the Mechanicals - all played by female-identifying actors - are gender-nonspecific (ie no-one mentions the intended gender-identity of each character, but some of them act-female, if I can put it that way without causing any offence!). Egeus is (possibly) cast gender-blind (ie the character remains male, the actor identifies as female). The third category encompasses the attendant-fairies, who (cf. Puck below!) might not be ‘gendered’ at all, having originated in the forest like plants.
Just for information:
Amongst the cast generally, two actors possibly identify as they; two possibly as male; and the rest possibly as female.
In addition the Globe warns for ableism within the play, which is necessary, because the role of Hermia is played by Francesca Mills, who has achondroplasia (a form of dwarfism).
Sooooo – that’s all by way of introduction really. On now, to the review!
In general, the play was fun, and played with great enthusiasm by the cast. However, I did feel that some of the lines were rushed/gabbled, and consequently (in an open-air theatre on a regular plane and helicopter flight-path) inaudible. In addition, the pacing was somewhat uneven and consequently, the ending was rushed and may have had some lines deliberately cut.
So, in retrospect, I found myself thinking things like - did I miss the girdling of the earth in forty minutes? What happened to the broom behind the door? Doesn’t B’tome usually josh with the attendant fairies more than she does here?
To compensate for this, the energy-levels were at an all-time high. This was a predominantly young cast and they took to the dances and set-pieces with great zest and bravado.
In addition, there were some innovative aspects and insights, all of which added up to a fresh look at this most busy of Shakespeare’s works. There were even some questions to ponder after the end of the show! Let us look at some of these:
1. The first thing that I noticed, even before the play began, was that whilst Jack Laskey played both Theseus and Oberon, the roles of his two partners – Hippolyta and Titania were played by Anne Odeke and Marianne Oldham respectively. This clearly implies that we can forget the many recent interpretations (begun by Peter Brook back in 1970), wherein the forest couple are mere alter egos of the Athenian ruler and his wooed-by-the-sword fiancée.
This means (hurrah!) that the whole Realm of Faerie has its own independent existence (even if only visiting in dreams). It also – in this production anyway - frees up Odeke’s Hippolyta to be a willing participant in her marriage; and she appears to be enjoying her position (and the wine!) In contrast, a totally unrecognisable Jack Laskey seems somewhat subdued as Theseus; maybe because he’s stifled in full formal Elizabethan-wear, his face and head covered in probably-removable hair. There were also times when he HAD to have been wearing at least some of his much-skimpier Oberon costume under all the ruffs, big sleeves and puffling pants! Way to stifle any pre-wedding passion!
2. There is no ‘changeling boy’ onstage – in the sense that there was neither a real actor, nor a puppet representing him. The casus belli here is reduced to a vaguely baby-shaped bundle, which is bandied around between Titania, her fairies, and (later) Oberon and Puck.
In fact, when Puck does appear with ‘the child’ after the unwinding of the quarrel, the sprite throws the bundled cloth aside, and it dislimns into a formless heap. Is it therefore a possibility that the whole changeling-boy/love-in-idleness plotline has been nothing but a massive game played by the realm of faerie with, and against, itself? Immortality must be a mighty boring and tedious business, sometimes!
3. And speaking of Puck; in THIS wood, Goodfellow is a very dark being indeed; composed mainly of elements of the forest itself. In fact, so far from human is ‘he’, that the designation It would be more appropriate. Even Its fingers appear to be roots; and Its face (lichen-blotched) is crowned with writhing dry branches and twigs – a touch of winter in midsummer; death in immortality.
Its magic-work is menacing too! Whenever a spell is cast, it is accompanied by a variety of startling sounds from the musicians in the gallery. Puck hurls the four lovers all around the stage whilst messing with their lives. The warring men particularly, are thrown in the air as the spells hit them; and poor Hermia is gratuitously ‘gifted’ the serpent-dream by Puck. It kneels creepily over her torso to bestow it; and she subsequently wakes terrified and alone....
4. Which brings us to the very dark world of the four mortal lovers. The most profound relationship amongst them is undoubtedly between the two school-friends, Hermia and Helena. Played respectively by Francesca Mills and Isobel Thom, they outshine their swains to such an extent that we (mercifully) don’t quite believe Helena when she avers that she will be Demetrius’ dog.
Once Puck starts messing with their heads, the menfolk become completely objectionable. It’s worth remembering that neither of the women-characters are actually bewitched with the love-in-idleness; both remaining true to their respective swains in spite of the very ugly behaviour.
We need to ask – are the men showing their ‘real’ selves as a result of the love-drug? Does Lysander really, in his heart of hearts, regard his beloved as a ‘dwarf’ (yes, it’s him who says the D-word!). Is Demetrius (the most shallow of the four) really just a vacant heart-to-let, swerving first towards Helena, then away towards Egeus’ daughter (maybe not specifically Hermia); and then back to Helena under the influence of the spell.
Either way – those two strong, beautiful women-characters should really remain true to one another, and ditch the aggro!
5. And finally, the OTP of the whole play - Titania and B’tome! Drug or no drug; spell or no spell; ass’s ears or no; those two are MADE for one another. They take to love so joyously, so completely; that one hopes it may last (in some form) beyond the dream for both of them.
And one last observation – Francesca Mills and Mariah Gale between them stole the show. Mills gave great emotional depth, as well as a desperate energy, to Hermia. Gale was just a force of nature; open to all experiences, whether roaring as gently as any sucking dove, or hiccuping her ‘hee-haws’ accompanied by leaps and tail-swishes.
So – a very vigorous, unsettling Dream, verging on nightmare!
no subject
Date: 2023-07-03 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-03 03:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-03 05:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-03 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-04 08:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-04 11:35 am (UTC)Did you see Francesca in Two Noble Kinsmen a few years back? I think that was her Globe debut.
https://player.shakespearesglobe.com/productions/the-two-noble-kinsmen-2018/
It's on dvd too.
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Date: 2023-07-04 02:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-04 05:53 pm (UTC)