A Midsummer Night’s Dream once again fills the Grove with a frisky quartet of absorbing plotlines and repertory actors transformed by the power of make believe, split-second timing and director Paul Mullins.
We all know the story. A midsummer caper of romance and mischief. There will be a magic love potion. It is intended to help true love blossom. It will in fact be used to create a lot of mismatched lovers. The irrational course of true love “never did run true.”
There are mortal royals, and there are immortal royals. Two sets of human lovers, a bunch of blue collars blundering outside their comfort zone, a quintet of fairy helpers, and one very powerful, mischievous sprite called Puck.
Yes, we all know the story. But the great pleasure of seeing this production lies in seeing how this group of actors, in this setting, will bring Shakespeare’s most popular play to life.
In the romance department we have former rivals the Duke of Athens (a commanding Corey Jones) and Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta (Charlotte Munson), on the verge of their wedding. Next we meet young Hermia (Allie Pratt) and her lover Lysander (Nick Rossi) agreeing to flee into the woods to escape the commands of her father and the constrictive laws of Athens. But wait! Another young Athenian, Demetrius (Elliot Sagay) is also in love with Hermia and flees into the woods to escape the unwanted affections of Helena (an enthralling Lily Kops). So off they go, uh, into the woods. But there’s more up Shakespeare’s tireless sleeve.
A quintet of working men, the infamous “rude mechanicals,” agree to rehearse a play they will perform for the Duke’s wedding. What could go wrong? And in one more plot strand Oberon, King of the Fairies (a sexy and swaggering ML Roberts), decides to prank his Queen Titania (a haughty Paige Lindsey White), with help from his impish servant Puck (the scene-stealing Justin Joung). These strands interweave juicily through some of the most beautiful verse, not to mention funniest situations, ever dreamed up by the Bard.
This woodland romp through the warring jealousies of mortals and forest creatures all leads up to the ultimate comedic play-within-the-play, the tale of Pyramus/Francis Flute (an inspired Jono Eiland) and Thisby/Nick Bottom (Mike Ryan). B. Modern’s minimalist accessories, the thistle crowns worn by Titania’s sprightly fairy attendants and captivating headdress of red flames worn by Puck, are delightful.
A romance with longing and mischief, Midsummer is also a cautionary tale: Be careful what you wish for. The center of the production is taken up with horseplay involving the exasperated Helena pining for the man she loves, and an irate Hermia wondering why her boyfriend has switched his affections. In the big quarrel that ensues between Hermia and Lysander, the acting (perhaps by direction?) erupts into screeching, howling, wrestling and broad slapstick. Allie Pratt, so sensitive in last season’s Glass Menagerie, is here reduced to shrill caterwauling.
To wrap things up: In order to set things right, Puck cleverly puts the Athenian lovers to sleep. An ingenious physical actor, Justin Joung makes a show-stopping Puck, using the stage’s many trap doors for stunning entrances and exits. When he appears, the entire production picks up in pace and charm. Overseeing the histrionics, Oberon commands Puck to undo the war of the sexes he’s created with his herbal sorcery. With all the lovers back to the way they were, the weddings are about to take place.
But first, the entertainment! Director Mullins pumps up the rom-com into the side-splitting mini-play of Pyramus and Thisby, in which an over-the-top Mike Ryan thrusts a wooden sword into himself over and over. And as Thisby, Jono Eiland over-the-topped even Ryan’s perfectly timed antics. The scene is among the funniest ever written.
For full shimmering effect, nighttime is the right time to enjoy A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the glowing moon-globe Puck utilizes for his stop-motion enchantment. The play’s magical transformations, romantic confusion and fairy hijinks are the perfect fit for the Grove after dark.
Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs through Aug. 31 at the Audrey Stanley Grove, 501 Upper Park Road, Santa Cruz. santacruzshakespeare.org
