Shakespeare Under the Stars has long been a staple of summer nights in Australia, but there’s no denying the appeal of a little alfresco bard has grown in light of contemporary global events. And following a dour 2020 it feels only right that the Australian Shakespeare Company kickstarts its latest Shakespeare Under the Stars season with the playwright's most magical comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Immediately you can see the synergy between the play – set in a forest and replete with fairies – and its venue, Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens. Shakespeare’s plays do well with minimal set design, and it really only takes the addition of some ionic columns to create the Athens of entangled lovers Hermia (Madeleine Somers), Lysander (Laurence Boxhall), Demetrius (Tony Rive) and Helena (Anna Burgess).
Of the foursome, Hermia and Helena standout with their delightful frenemy chemistry as they bicker and mope about their various romantic dilemmas. Burgess in particular shines as Helena, portraying the character with a relatable exasperation and dry humour in the face of rejection (and then, to Helena’s mind, mockery). Given her wit, as well as the audience’s contemporary perspective, you almost want to scream for her to stop fawning over Demetrius and go find her own happiness.
Hugh Sexton and Alison Whyte dutifully carry out their roles as Oberon and Titania (in addition to Theseus and Hippolyta), and their gaggle of fairies encapsulates all the whimsical delight for which they exist. But of the fae cast, the mischievous Puck (Fletcher O'Leary) steals the show with a performance that is brimming with energy and roguish glee. As the force behind most of A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s dramatic events, Puck is easily one of the most important characters, and O’Leary pulls off the impish sprite flawlessly. There are the impressive physical exploits, sure, but more impressive is his unending commitment to the character’s cheek – even when not actively performing on stage, O’Leary’s Puck always seems to be up to something.
Once our lovers have reconciled and paired off and fairy schemes completed, we’re left with A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s famous play within a play, performed by the quintet of Peter Quince (Kevin Hopkins), Tom Snout (Tony Rive), Francis Flute (Laurence Boxhall), Snug (Syd Brisbane) and Nick Bottom (Richard Piper) – the last who is at least physically less asinine now following his encounter with Puck. It’s always a tricky section of the production to pull off, given how neatly the play seems to wrap up following the four lovers. Having said that, the five succeed in the play’s main objective – to be utterly farcical – by employing sly modern gags and the tried and true technique of comically gory violence à la the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
In worth keeping in mind that the production casts a wide net in regards to its audience, and while the peppering of contemporary references might not suit the hardcore Shakespeare enthusiast, they never feel forced. Yes, a certain virus gets a mention as comic relief too, and you what, it actually helps to laugh at it. It’s the magically absurd salve Melbourne needed.
Of course, should the fantastical comedy prove too facetious to you post-lockdown, fret not. The Australian Shakespeare Company is putting on Macbeth next.
