REVIEW: A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Posted on March 15, 2007 1:10 PM
- 3 comments
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Roundhouse
By Katie Spain
I had a dream last night... a strange mix of colour, Indian music, and fairies. There was a love struck couple, some unrequited affection and reams of bright fabric falling from the sky like paint poured forth from the heavens. Oh, there was a donkey with a massive dangler in there too. Dramatic? You betcha... oh, what a night.
The dream lasted for two-and-a-half hours and funnily enough, I couldn't wake from it even if I'd wanted to. This wasn't a the result of a good night with my head on the pillow; rather, of a fully conscious evening at the Roundhouse. A Midsummer Night's Dream is the latest production hosted by the north London venue and is set to wow audiences with its uplifting flurry of colour and culture.
Tim Supple's brave new take on A Midsummer Night's Dream follows a standing ovation packed run in India and a sell-out run at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Complete Works Festival in June 2006. Taking on Shakespeare doesn't require vast amounts of courage; expressing the master's work in a variety of languages however, does. Finding twenty-three Indian and Sri Lankan dancers, musicians and performers from a hugely diverse range of backgrounds was a gruelling task. The search it seems, was worth it.
The collective sense of anticipation on press night was electric (such is the effect of rave reviews and a great deal of media interest). Gasps shot through the building as the lights dimmed and in a matter of minutes we found our imaginations snatched up by the fairies as they carried them up into the towering set.
Bright costumes, the simple and cunning use of natural materials and cloth as props and intricate dance moves were the tools for this Shakespearian storytelling. The thought of Shakespeare may worry some people, and the thought of it performed in multiple languages is probably all the more intimidating.
Sure, the tale of love and the complexities of the human heart was there, but the mix of languages meant that for some, it went over their heads. Personally, I found it didn't matter one iota. I don't speak Bengali, Hindi isn't my mother tongue, Malayalam is far beyond my realms of linguistics, and when it comes to Tamil, Marathi and Sinhalese... I don't even know where to start. The little boy behind me obviously found it all a tad confusing but for most, the delicate concoction danced across tongues in just the right way. After all, sexually charged scenes and the power of music don't need words to convey a message. Do yourself a favour and read the programme before the show starts.
Before the performance, I spoke to the animated actor Chandan Roy Sanyal (Lysander). We touched on the topic of cooking and the traditional Indian food that he finds comforting. Later, as the actors walked off the dusty red soil, I couldn't help but think back to our conversation. Tim Supple and his passionate cast and crew have lovingly prepared their own perfect delicacy. It just goes to show... the right mix of fresh, raw ingredients, a much loved recipe and stunning presentation goes a long way. Sure, the final dish may challenge the senses but it’s worth a try. You'll come out feeling full, content and enriched. Who knows, the taste might just grow on you.
Keep your eye on the site for our backstage chats with members of the cast.
Comments (3)
Shakespeare's little helper
I saw this!!! I absolutely loved it and want to congratulate all inlvolved. The cast well and truly deserved the flowers thrown on stage. I must admit I was a little confused to begin with but it began to wash over me after about ten minutes and by the end of it I wasn't really paying attention to the actual words - more the passion on their faces.
Loved it! But can understand if it's all a bit much for some...
Posted on March 15, 2007 4:23 PM
Sassy Rasta
I don't usually leave comments on reviews but have to say that Joy Fernandes was absolutely hilarious as 'Bottom'. He was a natural and didn't over act as many tend to do in that role. did you interview him?? I hope so... looking forward to reading about what the cast had to say.
Posted on March 15, 2007 4:25 PM
bob millar
Loved it, was amazin, creamed my pants, hilarious!
Posted on May 6, 2007 5:46 PM
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