by dick kerekes dickkerekes@yahoo.com
Theatre Jacksonville’s annual trip into the world of Shakespeare is now on stage at The Harold K. Smith Playhouse at 2032 San Marco Ave as the comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream opened last weekend and will run until September 29th. It is also the theatre bargain of the year. Tickets are only $l0 for any seat in the house, thanks to The River Branch Foundation.
This play has been done a number of times over the years in Jacksonville and is always immensely popular entertainment. A bit of the plot is always part of a review and Theatre Jacksonville gives this so succinctly in the program/study guide.
The plot for A Midsummer Night’s Dream is broken up into three story lines:
1. A love story, involving the changing relationships between four young people.
2. A comic account of amateur actors struggling to rehearse and perform a play
3. A fairy story, in which the king and queen of the fairies quarrel and made amends.
Go early, since the seats are general admission, and use the extra time to read the excellent biographies of the people involved in this play, the synopsis of the plot, and some good background on the play. Geoffrey Kershner is making his TJ directorial debut, but he is no stranger to Jacksonville, Theatre Jacksonville, or Shakespeare, having been the fight director for The Taming of the Shrew. He is the Artistic Director of the Endstation Theatre Company in Virginia and a graduate of the MFF directing program at FSU. I hope he is invited back; his production of Dream is a dream.
Kershner and Scenic Designer Kelly Wagoner have teamed up to give a unique setting for this production. The back half of the stage is a curved half-moon elevated stage. In center stage is a ramp where much of the action takes place. It has a unique trap door that fairies love to peek out of. This is all while Jeff Wagoner, Technical and Lighting Director, adds splashes of colored lights like drops of paint on a palette to create many moods. The Athenian Woods, home of the fairies and lots of romantic encounters, are represented by branches that extend off three white plexi-glass columns that can be lit from the inside. The branches are strips of colored cloth. Uncluttered, the set lets you focus on the actors and the text.
Costume Designer Audrey Wagner opens the play with all actors dressed in black and white with a bit of gray, a wonderful visual. As the play progresses the costumes became more colorful. The fairies are dressed like characters from the Commedia dell’arte. You’ll love Ms. Wagner’s wall and lion costumes, which defy description. Go see the play.
Shakespeare’s script leaves it up to the director’s interpretation as to who is the main character. My guesses would be Geoffrey King, who plays a delightfully hammy Bottom, a role that is always a favorite regardless of the production. Amy Noel Johnson’s Helena is an over-the-top heroine, and she contrasts nicely with the perky Hermia (Megan English). Puck is cast as a female and Alexis Robbins gives the character lots of energy and flair.
Big Julie from last season’s Guys and Dolls, Jeremie Cook, is back and is “big” Orberon, the fairy king. He sprinkles Shakespeare’s version of “Love Potion # 9” on his wife Titania (Jennifer Gagnon) and she proceeds to seduce Bottom, the donkey, in one of the play’s funniest scenes.
Garry Burgoyne, as Lysander, and Seth Langner, as Demetrius, are the rival lovers. They are well cast and they do some wonderful Shakespearian slapstick fighting over their women.
One of the highlights of Act II is the play within the play, as a band of Athenian craftsman performs at a wedding ceremony. Quince (Victoria Leone), Flute (Zack Bass), Snug (Scott J. Smith), Snout (Neal Thorburn) and Starveling (Chris Dickinson) are joined by the previously mentioned Bottom to create a hilarious ending to the show.
Sandy Spurney continues her quest to do all of Shakespeare’s mother roles (even if they were originally fathers. This is Shakespeare # 7 for Sandy, and she is convincing as Egeus, Hermia’s mom.
Larry Knight (Theseus, Duke of Athens) and Shani Harper (Queen of the Amazons) add a lot of class and elegance as the rulers of the country. Alex Palmer has humorous moments as Cobweb, the overworked and under loved fairy.
Director Geoffrey Kershner has done some careful editing, and eliminated a few minor characters to bring in the play under 2 ½ hours with the intermission. (Most of Shakespeare’s plays can run 3 hours or longer.) Kershner assembled an excellent cast that projected well and has lovely feet (Everyone in the cast is barefoot the entire show.)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is about the frustration of flawed people who want to be loved. You, as an audience member, will have fun along the way. Now if they would only reveal where we can get some of that magic fairy dust, I know several people looking for it. Call 396-4425 for more information, or visit www.theatrejax.com.
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