A Midsummer Night's Dream

This is a filmed version of a live stage play by the brilliant Julie Taymor. Visually striking and well acted, it is most notable for Kathryn Hunter as Puck. It is an insanely good performance, intense, physically extraordinary, hard to describe. I've never seen her before and she is beyond amazing. There are a number of other good performers like David Harewood and Tina Benko, but you really can't compare anyone else with Hunter.

This is generally a very good version of Midsummer Night's Dream. The one part I was disappointed by was the final play-within-a-play. I have often found this a particularly hilarious proto-MST3000, but somehow this time it felt kind of listless and weirdly dark. I don't know what happened there, but it drags down the overall experience.

Still, well worth checking out.

I'm somewhat a Shakespeare traditionalist and was prepared to walk out of the theater early. No way. Julie Taymor pulled off a small, and difficult, miracle. We are treated to the spontaneous presence of a stage setting and the freedom of cinema trickery, but with the lightest of touches. And the magic of this cherished comedy has been lovingly preserved. The low tech and brilliant use of fabrics and light gave the production just the right touch of enchantment. There was wonderful use of the chiaroscuro effect, as characters appeared and vanished in out of the shadows. The tiny lights that bathed Titania's face in soft white was a gorgeous touch. And Tina Benko played her to perfection, with a flawless blend of sauciness, raised eyebrow and tongue in cheek. Pale, sinuous and haughty, she was complemented by the strapping brooding black hulk of Oberon, played by David Harewood, leaving all the fairies quaking in his wake. Perhaps the most praise should go to diminutive Kathryn Hunter, giving a decadent Cabaret spin to Puck, with a dash of Jerry Lewis, not to mention some very lithe gymnastics. Max Casella's Bottom also stands out for its hilarious schtick. The director took a few liberties with Shakespeare's lines to great comic effect, most especially with Jacob Ming-Trent's Tom Stout, who got some of the biggest laughs, and deservedly so. I could go, but it's dinnertime and I'm hungry. My hats off to the cast and crew, and most especially to Julie Taymor who created a vision to be proud of. So says I, and so would William, methinks.

This is the best version of Midsummer Night's Dream that I have seen. The staging is absolutely full of dark and atmospheric effects which makes it exciting and dynamic. Kathryn Hunter was an absolutely captivating and humorous Puck with all of her contortions and physical acting. The 4 main players really let loose and played up the ridiculousness of the love quadrangle between them which allowed us to laugh at all the right moments, and for it not to be too serious during this part of the play which I feel it can often be. We are not supposed to empathise with the 4 youngsters as if they are victims of circumstance but we are meant to laugh at the follies of youth and the ridiculousness of the magical accidents. It is meant to be a comedy. And this version really got that. If you can get your hands on this it is definitely the one worth watching.

Stylistically, this adaptation is unmatched. Utterly stunning! This is a Julie Taymor play, after all. If you know anything about her work on stage or film, you would know that she puts a huge focus on visuals. Unfortunately, that also means she sacrifices other important elements, such as acting. This play is no different. Many of her casting choices were questionable, and I often wondered if the variety of dialects were intentional or just the actors using their natural accents without much direction to try something more cohesive. It was confusing and ultimately did not work. That being said, Taymor's quite literal interpretation of this Shakespearean classic as a "dream" was magnificent to behold, and it made up for what the overall performances lacked. As a filmed adaptation, the cinematography was well thought out and captured what needed to be seen. It was a fun ride that improved as it went on.

Taymor's signature blend of stage and screen was filmed live in Brooklyn.

This is the standard Shakespeare play with all the overlaying stories, fairies, sprites, four misplaced young lovers, and all.

A Julie Taymor production is more of an acquired taste. Most of her stage productions are minimalist. It is not one of those hybrids with contemporary clothing and the standard iambi pentameter overlaid. This is more stylized and those not familiar with the style will need a little time to adjust. You might also find it a tad noisy as the background is one of the characters.

Even though I did not recognize many of the actors, they each played their character well.