Lantern Theater's "Midsummer Night's Dream' (1st review)

I can't think of a better antidote for the spring fever itch than A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare's take on love mistaken for infatuation and vice versa.

Despite its small stage (or maybe because of it), the Lantern Theatre Company is noted for excellent presentations of Shakespeare. This production is no exception.

A Midsummer Night's Dream does suffer some down time, especially with the opening dialogues of Hermia (an excitable Charlotte Ford) and Lysander (an ingratiating David J. Sweeny). But we soon forget this tediousness when the farce gets under way. The director, Charles McMahon, deserves no small credit for keeping things moving.

Fortunately the show begins with Charlie DeMarcelle and Joanna Liao as Theseus, Duke of Athens and his fiancé Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Right away you sense that this isn't your average boy-meets girl-plot. Why would a duke want to marry the Queen of the Amazons? But as you see them in a playful duel, you realize they're mature beings in love with the self they see in each other.

Designated nerd

The Duke and the Queen are interrupted when the distraught Egeus (Davit Blatt) presents them with his dilemma. His strong-willed daughter, Hermia, wants nothing to do with the man he has chosen for her to marry, Demetrius (played by Bradley K. Wrenn as a nerd straight down the line).

Hermia's heart belongs to Lysander, with whom she hopes to elope that night to the forest outside Athens. Demetrius loves Hermia but is pursued by Helena (Lee Ann Etzold), who tells Demetrius of this plot in order to gain his love. Together Helena and Demetrius will go into the forest to thwart Lysander and Hermia's elopement.

Meanwhile back in Athens, a group of laborers are intent to put on a show for the royal couple's wedding. What ensues is as endlessly inane as any "Seinfeld" episode. Mark Cairns as the egotistical ham, Snout, plays Shakespeare's ode to all actors brilliantly. Eventually these working class troupers all agree to meet in the same forest after nightfall for a rehearsal.

Royal lovers' spat

And in the forest the fairies await these mortals. Their king and queen, Oberon and Titania, are played mesmerizingly by DeMarcelle and Liao.

When Titania walks out on Oberon in the midst of a lovers' spat, Oberon does what any king would do: He orders Puck— his knave/nymph and all-around bad boy— to spread some fairy dust to make the sleeping queen fall in love with the first creature she sees when she awakes.

Along the way, Oberon overhears Helena's laments for her unrequited love toward Demetrius and tells Puck to dust Demetrius also, so he might love Helena. Puck (performed by Dave Johnson as both mischievous and agreeable) of course manages to muddle up.

Shakespeare supposedly wrote this comedy on commission as a wedding gift to a royal couple. It's a wonder that he didn't lose his head. Can you imagine anyone presenting Prince William and his Kate this tale today?♦


To read another review by Alaina Mabaso, click here.