Theatre review: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Last night I saw “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” – the inaugural production of the stunning new Polansky Shakespeare Theatre in Brooklyn.  This production was directed by Julie Taymor and it was quite a sight to behold.  It was filled with the enchantment of her wondrous trademark magic.  First of all, the new theatre is perfect for Shakespeare or any classic play.  And it is also perfect for me since it is only 1½ blocks from the LIRR Atlantic Terminal – much easier to get to than Broadway.  This production had seating around 3 sides of the stage – a sort of modern interpretation of the Old Globe seating.  The theatre seated 299 patrons so every seat is close to the stage.  I was in seat A105 - dead center for viewing all the magic. 

But I understand that all elements of the auditorium – including stage, lighting and seating – are moveable and can be reconfigured any way they want. So it will be interesting to see how they configure it for future productions.  'King Lear' will be performed this Spring.

I found the performances uneven.  Kathryn Walker as Puck was inspirational.  She reminds me of a young Linda Hunt, but someone who can twist and contort her body like the best young Yoga guru.  Three of the four leading young lovers (Zach Appleman as Demetrius, Jake Horowitz as Lysander and Mandi Masden as Helena) were excellent, energetic, funny and quite comfortable with the Shakespearean dialogue.  But the fourth of the young leads (Lilly Englert as Hermia), despite the excellent stand-out review she received from the New York Times, I found to be a disappointment.  I could hardly understand her.  She spoke like a Valley Girl with cotton balls in her mouth.  Admittedly, sometimes she was funny.  But most times she was annoying.  When not speaking she appeared to be bored and lost on stage with a vacant expression on her face, unengaged with the other actors.  I also found Oksui Okpokwasili as Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons, who looked like and was costumed like a young Grace Jones, to be totally miscast.  She was not comfortable with the language and often could not be heard despite the excellent acoustics in this theatre.  As half of the only couple in the play that was not having conflict (she was about to marry the Duke) she seemed to be oddly disinterested in him and bored by the pageantry.

Outstanding were the 6 actors who played the ‘Rude Mechanicals’ who prepare to perform a play within the play.  In Shakespeare's original libretto they are 'players' (traveling actors).  Here they were costumed as contemporary city construction workers and spoke their dialogue in Brooklyn New Yawk accents.  Hysterically funny.  Max Casella, whom I have seen countless times on NYPD, NCIS and other TV shows, played Bottom – the rude mechanical (construction worker) who is turned into an ass and becomes the object of Tatiana’s sexual interest.  He was remarkable, conveying the confident macho charisma of a construction worker with sexual charm that the part needed.  And David Harewood as Oberon, King of the Shadows, was very commanding on stage, both strong and funny and convincing of someone who possessed magical powers.  Mostly, the casting was good with those few glaring exceptions.

It was the costuming that puzzled me the most.  The “fairies” (here listed as the "Rude Elementals") were about 20 children dressed like zombies from ‘The Night of the Living Dead’.   Why?  Tatiana, the Fairy Queen, was dressed as a cross between Tessie Tura and Miss Electra from “Gypsy” with clear plastic fairy wings, a Bride of Frankenstein hairdo and electric lighting on her costume.  I kept expecting her to break out into song ('Ya Gotta Have a Gimmick').  Some actors looked like they were from ‘Star Trek’, others wore 16^th century costume taken from a Rembrandt painting.  One actress was dressed as a 1950s French maid.  The four young leads were costumed in a combo of Edwardian dress with contemporary jeans and running shoes.  Puck wore crepe overalls and a white dress shirt, sneakers and a round bowler hat.

When you enter the theatre there is a single bed alone on the stage.  In the opening scene Puck gets into the bed, curls up and goes to sleep.  My interpretation of all this was that the entire

production, with its mismatched costumes from different historic periods and out-of-this-world supernatural setting, was all Puck’s dream.  The overall production look was a black and white theme reflected in the costumes and set elements.  This was also reflected in the casting of interracial couples throughout.  Was this a statement reflecting the City’s new Bill de Blasio era?  I could not help but notice.  This too would fit in with the black and white theme as a subliminal suggestion that worked its way into the fabric of Puck's dream.  The vibrant coloring came from the many light and image projections and special effects throughout.  If the purpose of this $3 million production was to showcase to best advantage the capabilities of this new theatre – then it succeeded admirably.  As Shakespeare – it was sometimes uneven; brilliant in some parts but labored in others parts – with a few parts miscast.  Nevertheless it was an unforgettable evening.  A production need not be perfect to be enjoyable, thought-provoking and inspirational.  This one was all of those things.