A Midsummer Night's Dream (Echo Theatre) - Review

Lysander: 

“The course of true love never did run smooth.”

Pictured: The cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream

Credit: Photox (Ben Appleton).

'Tis the season of returning seasons of productions that have been seen years prior in the Canberra community theatre space, once more giving theatre goers the chance to hop along and see what all that fuss was about. Once more, Echo Theatre has graced us with a phenomenal staging of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and just like Hand to God, it hasn't aged a day. I will mention that although all the photos you see in this review are of the performance as it was intended in the great outdoors, some nasty weather ushered the play into the indoor space of the Q's next door facility, the B. By removing what would appear to be the main gimmick and overall appeal of the show, the cast and crew were all tested in their ability to own an entirely different space, while imparting a similar experience upon the audience. To this end, my appreciation for this show and those that presented it to us has been elevated drastically.

Jordan Best and her team have produced a show as funny and mood-lifting as it is meticulously thought out; so much so that the space becomes a trivial matter of adjustment, as Best and her cast work their magic and make the audience forget the very concept of a stage. This can absolutely be owed to the cast’s larger-than-life performances, which we will dissect further in due course, but I think there is a further element at play in the direction here that is worth remarking upon; this is a cast that understands the text they're presenting, and one that moves with shared purpose. This understanding, under Best's steady hand, renders the show so versatile that it may mould to fit whatever space it finds itself forced to dance within. That's the mark of fabulous direction at work.

Pictured: The cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream

Credit: Photox (Ben Appleton).

A merrier band of lunatics, in Canberra could not be found. Every performance in this show is pitch perfect, with just enough imperfect sprinkles here and there to render them endearing. The central four lovers are played to astute dramatic and comedic perfection throughout the play's duration, with all four (and a majority of the supporting cast) returning as if they'd never left. Liv Boddington’s Hermia is played with absolute straightness, as a bewildered witness to the insanity of the domestics brought on by the interference of spirits in her affairs. Boddington levies a heart-breaking tone as she questions the sudden turning of attitudes, while remaining subtle enough so as to not allow that minor personal tragedy spoil the show's tone. They are paired well with Isiah Prichard, whose cheekiness as the rebellious lover Lysander is perhaps the most charismatic performance on stage. Prichard, with remarkable physicality and wonderous personal charm, embodies both heartthrob lover and love-thirsty lunatic effortlessly and within the same breath numerous times throughout play. Caitlin Baker is a brilliant comic stand out with her incredible comedic timing and outstanding body language as the comically kvetching Helena. The hilarity in Baker's performance is most often seen in her moments of comical uncertainty when thrust into situations of absurdity, where her emotional spikiness is amusing to see in response to others. Rounding out the lovers is Jack Shanahan, who once again demonstrates his mastery at the art of playing the infuriating sleazebag, executing his performance with marvellous timing and hilarious slapstick chops, while embodying a charisma that is as aggravating as it is effortlessly charming.

Elsewhere, Lainie Hart is a tremendous presence as Oberon and Theseus, commandeering the play’s movement forward while also adhering to the comic theming, and playing along with absolute success; the confidence with which she delivers her dialogue assist in reinforcing this perception. Jordan Best also joins the cast this time around, much to the audience's delight, as Hippolyta and Titania, both of which she embodies with remarkable charm and larger-than-life regalness, while also having her moments of laugh-stealing when coming under effect of Oberon's "love-in-idleness" flower. Scene stealer in chief Rachel Robertson, who saw the designation of Puck as a “goblin”, clearly understood the assignment and revels in the little devil’s mischievous nature, much to the delight of the audience. Robertson's persona is one that stood out from every other member of the cast as utterly unique, yet it is a characterisation that is produced with temperance, and did not detract from their overall collective identity.

The players (who also doubled as the fairies) lend their comic energy as a group and individually with hilarious effect to the show's overall tone. Jim Adamick’s Bottom was reason enough to rock up, stealing the show with his bumbling buffoonery and often comical dedication to his troupe’s assignment, stealing cackle after cackle from the audience's lips. His often long-winded tangents are an often-occurring highlight of the show, every word of the script elevated by Adamick's mastery over form. Kayla Ciceran’s fed-up Quince balanced out the utter madness she was surrounded by, providing a normalisation that kept the chaos in check, while also charming with a collection of facial expressions that allowed her quieter character to keep up with the rest of her band of lunatics. Callum Doherty's Flute pulls off a sneaky scene steal of his own towards play-within-a-play’s end, embodying said play's role of Thisbe with shrieks that attracted further shrieks of laughter from the audience. There is many a highlight to be seen in the rest of the travelling fools, whether it be Joshua James' droll Robin Starveling (or his Roz-from-Monster's-Inc-esque Mustardseed), Zoe Ross's snivelling Tom Snout (who embodies a wall with a dedication as pathetic as it is endearing), or Sally Taylor's superbly expressive and facially comical Snug; all strongly support with remarkable physical comedy, acute understandings of comic timing, and delightful contributions to the group’s already marvellously coloured comedic pallet.

Lighting elements were never really at play in this show, and sound was most likely handled behind the scenes by the tireless stage manager, Britt Myers, who also ensured the players had what they required at any given moment. What may be commented on is both set and costuming, which were both further contributions from Best. The set is minimal yet grand in all the right ways respectively, with a fantastic tent draped with radiantly coloured curtains serving as an "off-stage" area for the cast to recuperate between the vignettes they must present. The costumes are also similarly wonderful, living up to the larger-than-life performances that embodied them, with such impressive contributions including a fabulous ass's head for Bottom, the troupe's entire wardrobe during the "play-within-a-play", the regal garments of the various royals throughout, and the wardrobe of the main four lovers, who all stood out in exceptional manner and dressed appropriate to their personalities.

A Midsummer Night's Dream was a fabulous way in which to end the night. I hope that Canberra may see more allure in presenting "re-runs" of shows that audiences may not have had the opportunity to see the first time around; not just so that those that missed out get to see what all the fuss is about, but so that this elevation of appreciation, as I have expressed in this review, may be had. It is a remarkable show with so much to love about it that I feel I've only scratched the surface.

And if it does come back around, I'm sure there's another layer of three I'm sure to appreciate about it. For great pains were taken, it seems, for this show to be perfect. And perfect (to me at least), it is.