HSC production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

HARTFORD - Ain’t love grand? There sure isn’t enough it in the world, but there is no lack of love, in all its manifestations, in "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" by William Shakespeare, at the Hartford Stage Company.

"A Midsummer Night’s Dream" is one of the few plays Shakespeare wrote that was an original plot, and not based on a historical work.

Director Lisa Peterson chose to set the play in the 1950’s, with costume design by Ilona Somogyi, which works well for this play, although the forest setting and fairies are delightfully timeless.

The story follows the loves, romantic and other, of various characters - from the Duke Theseus who is marrying Hippolyta, played commandingly by David Andrew Macdonald and Johanna Day who also play the Fairie King Oberon and the Fairie Queen Titania - to the four young people, Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena.

Demetrius, played by Jake Lacy, is in love with Hermia, played by Christina Pumariega. But Hermia loves Lysander, played by Sanjit De Silva, while Helena’s love of Demetrius goes unrequited. Susannah Flood plays Helena.

"The course of true love never did run smooth," says Lysander, and never were more true words spoken. All kinds of love, and jealousies are evident here - the love of Titania for her foundling child, who Oberon wants, the paternal love of a father, Egeus, played by Everett Quinton, for his daughter, Hermia.

While the women remain relatively constant, the men behave pretty badly, starting from the top with the Fairie King Oberon who has his assistant Puck, played with impish glee by Francis Jue, give a love potion to Titania, Demetrius, and then Lysander.

Many strange and weird things happen once the youths are in the woods, and Peterson has them all run and roll and cavort about with impressive energy and strength.

Sometimes a little too much energy. When Hermia, who is used to always being doted upon, all of a sudden is despised by her love Lysander for no apparent reason, she doesn’t seem shocked enough, and says: "O weary night, O long and tedious night," as if she could run a marathon.

For those who think Shakespeare is difficult to understand, this play, with plenty of broad sexual innuendo, should present no problem. Shakespeare wrote for the common man of his day and his comedies are meant to be much bawdier than many realize.

Shakespeare hardly ever resorted to swearing in any of his plays, choosing instead to use more creative and amusing invectives such as "vixen," "churl," and "acorn."
The original music by James Paul Prendergast was lovely, particularly original and pleasant was setting Oberon’s dialog to music, and the charming, enchanting sounds of the fairie’s singing.

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; and therefore is winged cupid painted blind," laments poor, confused Helena on the fickle, flighty changeling nature of love. She is used to being ignored, and when the tables are turned and the men chase after her, she thinks there is a conspiracy afoot.

There is the subplot with a play within a play, where a troupe of amateur actors rehearses a play about two ill-fated lovers, Pyramus and Thisby. Puck turns one of the actors, named Bottom, played with proper bravura by Lucas Caleb Rooney, into a Donkey and Titania is made to fall in love with him.

The play within the play at the end was a bit long, and even though it is faithful to the original, it would not have been missed if it had been deleted.

"A Midsummer Night’s Dream" slowly cast a love spell on the audience, lulling all into a sense of enchanted joy, happiness, and intoxicating love.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

Three Stars
Location: Hartford Stage Company, 50 Church Street, Hartford.
Production: Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Lisa Peterson. Scenic design by Rachel Hauck. Costume design by Ilona Somogyi. Lighting design by Stephen Strawbridge. Composed by James Paul Prendergast.
Running time: 2 ½ hours plus one 15-minute intermission.
Show Times: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinees performances Sundays and selected Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. through October 5.
Tickets: $23 - $68.50. Call 527-5151 or visit their Web site at www.hartfordstage.org.
ACTOR...CHARACTER
Johanna Day ... Hippolyta/Titania
David Andrew Macdonald ... Theseus/Oberon
Francis Jue ...Puck/ Philostrate
Everett Quinton ...Egeus/Quince
Jake Lacy ...Demetrius
Sanjit De Silva ...Lysander
Christina Pumariega...Hermia
Susannah Flood...Helena
Lucas Caleb Rooney ...Bottom
Steven Boyer ...Flute
Nathan Johnson...Starveling
Kathy Deitch...Snout
Robert Patrick Sheire...Snug