Whether you watch this live or get to watch the National Theatre Live stream in your local cinema, this performance is not to be missed. There have been many performances and reimagining’s of this classic Shakespeare play, this version is unique from any other. Directed by Nicholas Hytner and builds off the success of his immersive staging of Julius Caesar in 2018. Hytner explains how previous remakes/versions/interpretations of this play have been getting darker and darker however with this version is full of so much joy and laughter.
A feuding fairy King and Queen of the forest cross paths with four runaway lovers and a group of actors trying to perform their play. The magical royal couple meddle in these people’s lives causing love triangles, transformations and mistaken identities. With a star cast and spectacular use of aerial acrobatics. The audience who are standing get a real immersive experience throughout the performance. The play begins with Hippolyta (Gwendoline Christie) who is imprisoned in a glass cage. She is the captive bride of Theseus (Oliver Chris). As is common, Hippolyta and Theseus transform into the fairy King and Queen, Oberon and Titania. However, what is interesting is that Titania speaks lines which are normally spoken by Oberon. This reversal heightens the comedy when we see Oberon falling in love for an ass.
Our ass otherwise known as Bottom (Hammed Animashaun) gives a fantastic performance. The entire cast give outstanding performances, however Animashaun gives so much more especially physically to his character and performance. Whenever he is on stage, we are draw to him as we are waiting for what unexpected thing or funny moment is going to do next.
Puck is played by David Moorst, he brings most of the audience participation in this performance and just like Bottom adds more humour while on stage. Puck interacts with the audience by telling them to 'move' or comments on what someone is wearing (in a good way). Puck is a joy to watch just like Bottom.
The fairies and Puck all do aerial work throughout the show and it is amazing to see. A lot of strength and precision is needed yet they make it look so effortless. It was also a nice comparison to see the lovers on the floor and the spirits and fairies in the air as if they were really flying. Our lovers are Hermia (Isis Hainsworth) who is in love with Lysander. Hainsworth gives a great performance yet her natural accent is so strong that at times it could be difficult to clearly hear what she was saying; Helena (Tessa Bonham Jones) is in love yet no one wants her until the end, but when Puck messes things up we see another side to Helena which is strong and angry. Although this side to this character is really fun to watch and you want to see what she may say or do next; Demetrius (Paul Adeyefa) at the beginning is in love with Hermia but eventually ends ups with Helena; and our final lover is Lysander (Kit Young) who tries to run away with Hermia so they can be together that is why they get caught up in the fairies magic. Adeyefa and Young have great a great relationship on stage, they add a lot of energy to scenes and they bounce off each other.
As mentioned above, this is an immersive performance which is in the round. The audience are incredibly important as they are so involved in the performance from Puck talking to them, to someone in the audience giving Bottom their phone to use on stage. A particular moment which was satisfying to watch was when the audience pull a huge silk sheet across the entire space/stage while the fairies are doing tricks in the air. This feels like a very magical point in the performance and the audience get to help. Also, the audience are the trees in the forest which the actors run around and through to get to other sets. The sets are simple yet complicated as there is airborne beds and a rising green platform. The sets can be raised and lowered so our focus is directed on which set is raised higher than the others.
With any Shakespeare play there is always music. The music used in this show is the most surprising element in this show. The end of part one, there is a huge Beyoncé dance between Oberon and Bottom. Very unexpected yet one of the most hilarious scenes in the entire show, this scene will never be forgotten. Other songs that were used include Bonkers and I Can See Clearly Now, these songs work so well in this performance. It is interesting that this show was first performed in the 1600s yet the music is used is very modern but it still works.
Overall, it will be difficult to beat this version. The acting is fantastic from all the performers especially from Puck and Bottom. Music and set used keeps the performance interesting and enjoyable to watch. An immersive performance which really gets the audience involved and they become part of the action. There isn’t as much focus on the words being spoken but with that being said they still have an impact, there is a lot happening from fairies flying to people running through the audience to focus on. A Midsummer Night's Dream reinvented and possibly made even funnier due to the switching of lines and the actors themselves, a experience and show which will never be forgotten.
