Swish of the Curtain

If you don’t know the plot of A Midsummer Night’s Dream click here.

This RSC production has given me a different view of the play: it is more modern than most adaptions I have seen. Both Helena and Hermia are wearing cocktail dresses and high heels, whereas Titania is flaunting a silk dressing gown.

Another element of the play that I found interesting was that the RSC had collaborated with the Garsington Opera. Music by Felix Mendhelsson was played throughout the performance, bringing me into the fairy world.

The set was lovely but original: a coin-shaped white moon was hung in front of a blue backdrop.

However, this production was not all positives. Oberon (David Rintoul) and Titania (Marty Cruikshank) were older than usual. I found the decision to cast these older actors as two spritely, beautiful characters slightly odd. On the other hand, Puck and Helena were very good and the ‘Lamentable Comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe’ was hilarious.

On the whole, I had an excellent time.