Absolutely adore 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', ever since primary school when studying it and reading it the text out loud when playing a character (loved that way of learning, not everyone did). Love the colourful characters, the magic, the playfulness, the hilarious comedy and at times pathos. The story may seem complicated on first glance, with a lot going on, but actually 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is one of Shakespeare's most accessible plays, and it is one of my favourites of his and adore the amazing text and how he uses it.
Have seen many versions of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and there is a good deal to admire about them all, even the weakest which for me is the mixed feelings 80s BBC production. While liking the 2014 production also from the Shakespeare Globe very much, despite a couple of issues, this one from 2016 is almost as good. The comedy works more consistently and there was more risk taking, though the other production had more heart. It is not perfect by any stretch and is not for everybody, but to me it was most enjoyable.
Did think there were times where the production got rather too energised and frenetic, which meant that it didn't have enough room to breathe. Meaning that the pathos wasn't there enough and the larkiness at the beginning is overdone.
Occasionally the doubling of roles was a little confusing, which was a problem when the plotting and misunderstandings became more complicated. The way Hermia and Lysander are directed doesn't always make sense and is at odds with the text, namely being all over each other when he really has to keep persisting in his seduction attempts.
There is however a huge amount to like. Loved the Bollywood-influenced production values, which were rich in vibrant colour and flamboyant lavish spectacle without swamping the drama too much. The staging was a riotous joy from beginning to end and didn't fall into distaste in my view, and just about manages to be coherent even when not traditional. It sees everything with the lovers have more sensuality and youthfulness than usual, Titania at her most flamboyant and most foxy, Helena (here gender reversed) at her, or his, most camp, the comedy really amped up to the max with raucous energy, Oberon at his most menacing, the most surreal taking of bows and the single funniest rendition of the Pyramus and Tisbe play personally seen.
Gender reversals have wildly varied since becoming more popular and frequent with particularly Royal Shakespeare Company, but it worked very well here. Especially with Puck. The music has a lot of energy, the party vibe in all the forest action was infectious and seldom exhausting, the comedy is genuinely very funny to hilarious with nothing feeling over-worked or mugged and it was refreshing to see a lot of taking of risks and seeing characters in a different light. All the performances are great, especially for Puck, Titania and Oberon.
Concluding, not an essential but well worth seeing. 7/10.
