By Cameron Woodhead
THEATRE
The Dream, by William Shakespeare,
★★★★☆
Bell Shakespeare,
Arts Centre, Until October 4
There's a really lovely, playful vibe to Peter Evans' condensed production of The Dream, and whether it's the compression itself, the astute casting and direction or a bit of both, it generates the sort of sublime comic acting, unusual in Shakespearean performance, where you get a sense of comedy as a protean force, wrestled into being before your eyes.
Bell Shakespeare's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Framing the play with the mechanicals, The Dream opens with Richard Piper – one of the best Bottoms in the business. His generous, pert and (dare we say) cheeky antics affectionately needle thespian foibles, and weave his scenes into absolute hilarity, culminating in full-dress lampoon with the scratch performance of 'Pyramus and Thisbe'.
Julie Forsyth as Puck is the other, fairy nexus in the play. She's extraordinary, her voice lightening to otherworldliness, a kind of whisper from beyond that keeps you bewitched while she imbues the role with a full measure of rambunctious goblin humour and physicality.
Ray Chong Nee is wonderful as Oberon (and Theseus), his resonant voice making the verse dance with the regal authority, fairy and human, that must yield ultimately to love. Janine Watson shows off her range by doubling as Titania and Peter Quince. Nikki Shiels gives a superlative comic performance as Helena, wringing such a vivacious and intricate portrayal of a lover scorned by all, then wooed by all, and shaping the general confusion of romantic melee so beautifully that it whets the appetite to see her play other Shakespearean comic heroines – Rosalind, Viola, Beatrice, the lot.
Gareth Reeves' dapper sincerity as Lysander, Lucy Honigman's short (but fierce) Hermia, and Johnny Carr as the inconstant Demetrius all play their parts in bringing the lovers' war to life; they also shine in comic cameos during the mechanicals scenes.
The dramaturgy is excellent, sparing design focuses attention on the actors, and Peter Evans' direction is swift and assured, marshalling vigorous performances that are not only a lot of fun, but also – a much rarer thing – leave you with new insights into the comic possibilities of Shakespeare's play.
It's one of the more memorable productions in Bell Shakespeare's 25 year history, and you'd be mad not to go.