A Visual and Auditory Spectacle

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Chicago Shakespeare Theatre

Shakespeare’s fantasy comedy is no doubt familiar to most theatre goers. The comedy weaves together three stories: a quarrel between the king and queen of the fairies, four young Athenian lovers trying to sort out their affections and a group of six rustic actors rehearsing a play for the Duke’s wedding day. All of these plots play out primarily in the forest under a full moon, and ultimately become connected through the marriage between Theseus, the Duke of Athens, and his lovely bride-to-be, Hippolyta. Of course, complications arise and provide the basis for this comedy. 

For a play that’s been around since 1595, Shakespeare’s comedy/fantasy about the struggles of love continues to be among his most popular works. Performed everywhere in the world by professional, amateur and educational theatres alike, the play has also inspired ballets, operas, musical compositions, paintings and other plays and stories. But with Chicago entering another long winter season, and Midsummer feeling like a long way off, Joe Dowling’s delightful, full-length adaptation is the perfect holiday treat. Aimed at adult audiences, this visual and auditory spectacle offers a welcome promise of warm nights and pastoral adventures to come.

In Mr. Dowling’s thrust stage production, the audience is so close to the action that they almost feel like part of the cast. With the aisles utilized for many of the entrances and exits, Todd Rosenthal’s gorgeous, very romantic scenic design breaks the space up into several areas. He’s provided multiple levels for his actors to play, including a massive, doored wall, that slowly falls backward and becomes a hill that leads up to a gorgeous, colorful garden of giant, oversized flowers. An ornate bed for the Queen of the Fairies floats down from above. Greg Hofmann and Jesse Klug’s soft, pastel lighting beautifully melds with and enhances Rosenthal’s magical setting, illuminating characters clad in Fabio Toblini’s fanciful costumes and Richard Jarvie’s fantastic wig, makeup and hair designs. Christopher M. LaPorte’s sound design, saturated with original and adapted music by Keith Thomas, provides a toe-tapping palette of rock, jazz, blues and doo-wop music. The cumulative effect is exciting and romantic, without ever being indecent or risque.

Joe Dowling’s production is a series of romances, peppered with all kinds of challenges and stand-offs with authority. His talented, 22-member company is peopled with versatile actors, some of whom delightfully play more than one role. Standout performances include Alexandra Silber, who plays the beautiful, eloquent Hippolyta, as well as a lusty, strong-willed Titania, Queen of the Fairies. Ms. Silber is closely matched by the wonderful Edward O’Blenis playing Duke Theseus, as well as Titania’s revengeful Fairy King companion, Oberon. Initially in the role of Philostrate, the Duke’s humorous attendant, Sam Kebede sharply catches the eye and ear as a tall, athletically agile, prank-loving Puck. 

As the loving mortal couples, petite Melisa Soledad Pereyra makes a saucy and spirited Hermia; Cristina Panfilio is a dryly humorous, eloquent and agile as Helena; handsome Tyrone Phillips creates a fine, strapping Lysander, at first reticent and polite, but who eventually finds his verve and voice in the forest; and Eric Schabla is an hilarious, determinedly devoted and caring Demetrius.

Resolved to perform a polished entertainment for the Duke and his lady, the “Rude Mechanicals” are all delightful. T.R. Knight (known primarily to the public from his leading role in television’s “Grey’s Anatomy”) leads the troupe as the likable hambone and bumbling Nick Bottom, cast as a palavering Pyramus in their play; and Alec Silver is drop dead hilarious as young, amateur actor, Francis Flute, chosen to portray the lady Thisbe. Jonathan Butler-Duplessis is a comical Tom Snout, the Wall; Joe Dempsey makes a comically officious Peter Quince, the troupe’s playwright and director; Sara Sevigny is humorous as Robin Starveling; and William Dick, who initially plays the bullheaded Egeus, also portrays Snug, the Joiner, as an old hippie-like, Jerry Garcia. He’s especially fun, however, as a less-than-terrifying lion in the play-within-the-play.

Every one of Mr. Dowling’s actors are superbly trained, articulate and understand that in Shakespeare “the story is the thing.” They not only create strong, identifiable characters, they skillfully paint Shakespeare’s picturesque images with words, body language and movement. Titania’s array of Fairies, particularly the stunning and graceful actor/singer/dancer Adrienne Storrs, who makes a spectacular entrance on a high wire from above the stage, are all poetry in motion.

Certainly, Shakespeare’s most popular comedy, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre offers a terrifically cast, often visually arresting, highly hilarious and entertaining production within the theatre’s intimate theatre venue. Joe Dowling’s fine direction and superior technical support make this enchanting, romantic comedy even more alluring and magical. Hearing the Bard’s delectable poetry spoken with such clarity and understanding is a real treat, not often found in classical productions these days. And, if that weren’t enough, Todd Rosenthal’s beautiful floral pageantry will remind audiences that romance, and some much-welcome warm weather, may not be that far out of reach.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented December 14-February 3 by Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on their Courtyard Stage at Navy Pier.

Tickets are available by calling the box office at 312-595-5600 or by going to their website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.