Shotgun Players’ production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a fantastical, fun, frenetic production. It’s skillfully directed by William Thomas Hodgson, who deserves kudos for keeping all the balls and talent in the air during this complex and fast-moving comedy.
The colorful multi-tier set, outfitted with a hidden cave and several entrances and exits, helped to create a dream-like feeling. Most of the cast wore imaginative period costumes, while the four young lovers were dressed in more contemporary clothes.
The production used the standard Shakespearean text with one or two modern expletives added for realism and kicks. The language was spoken rather than exclaimed.
But at times, the actors seemed to rush through their lines.
Puck (Jamin Jollo) and Bottom (Oscar Wodrow Harper III) had the scene-stealing parts and were outstanding.
A lot happens during Midsummer’s interconnecting plots.
The action is connected by a four-day celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens (Veronica Renner) and the Amazon queen, Hippolyta (Radhika Rao). Egeus (Susannah Martin), an Athenian noble, insists that her daughter, Hermia (Celeste Kamiya), marry Demetrius (Fenner Merlick). But alas, Hermia is in love with Lysander (gallantly understudied on opening night by David A. Cunningham). Meanwhile, Helena (Yolanda D. Bell) was once engaged to Demetrius and still loves him. The four young people escape to the woods.
The woodlands are home to two different groups. One is a band of fairies that includes Oberon, the fairy king (Veronica Renner), Titania, his queen (Radhika Rao) and the playful servant Puck, sometimes called “Robin” (Jamin Jollo). The second is “the mechanicals,” a gang of roughhewn Athenian craftsmen rehearsing a play for the Duke of Athen’s wedding, starring the ridiculously funny Bottom (Oscar Wodrow Harper III).
Most of the fairies’ activities concern mischievous Puck putting magic potions into several sleeping lovers’ eyes, which makes them love the first person they see upon awakening. And, of course, they see the absolute wrong person. Titania sees and falls in love with Bottom, who has a donkey’s head, much to Bottom’s enjoyment and the audience’s amusement.
The show’s finale is the bumbling craftsmen’s play, the tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe. It’s about two lovers who mistakenly think the other is dead, and so commit suicide — certainly a curious choice for a wedding. And perhaps it’s Shakespeare poking fun at his own tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, with this amateurish and silly presentation.
By the end of Midsummer, all the lovers are back with their true soul mates and all is right with the world.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is not one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies. I find the plot a bit too busy without enough cleverness. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this production and recommend it for an imaginative, cheerful, and creative night at the theater — with a happy ending.
Hodgson, the director, sees the play as one that speaks to the current moment. “Midsummer is a story about a disharmonious world finding unity, which is always relevant,” he said. “The message of love, compromise and unity is one we need to hear right now.”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes with one intermission at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley, through April 27, 2024. Mask-wearing is encouraged but not required, except on “Masked Matinee,” Sunday, March 24, 2024.
General admission ticket prices are $28–$40. M.A.D NIGHT for patrons 25 and under and includes pizza and beer (21+) on Thursday, March 28, 2024 for $10. Community Tickets for those facing financial hardship are $15 with discount code COMMUNITY. Trans people of color watch for free with code TRANSPOC.
A haptic tour and audio-described performance for blind and low-vision patrons will occur on Sunday, April 7, 2024. There will also be a live-stream performance on April 4, 2024. On-demand performances are from April 21 – May 5, 2024. An A.S.L. performance is on April 11, 2024. Reservations are encouraged. More information can be found at https://shotgunplayers.org/ or call 510-841-6500, ext. 303.
This article has been updated to reflect the extension of the play’s run to April 27.
