A Midsummer Night’s Dream Review

December 2, 2011
Filed under Arts and Athletics

There was a lot of discussion surrounding Brewster’s fall drama; the producer and director made changes to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was a very risky move. It was worth it. The play was very entertaining and well directed and produced. Andrea Perdicho and Mat Young (producer and director respectively) created an entertaining, humorous version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for young adults to enjoy.

The set and the audience immediately stood out to me as I entered the Performing Arts Center. The audience was very large and diverse, adding to the anticipation for the changes. The play attracted young teens and adults, all looking eager for the play to begin. When the curtains parted, the set was revealed and the audience’s admiration was clear in their whispers and quiet “wow”‘s. The construction crew and painters produced an excellent set that synchronized well with the plot.

As the show started, some members of the audience were confused. The Shakespearian language can be difficult to understand but the script rewrites proved successful – as the plot began to unfold, the audience members were able to grapple with the plot and language. The actors struggled with the prose during the beginning play practices, but it was clear during the performance that they conquered the challenge, speaking comfortably and naturally. Because the actors could speak their lines fluently, they were able to insert comedy appropriately, especially seen by Liam Lonegan in the role of Puck.

The costumes only bolstered the caliber of the play. The outfits worn varied from togas to half-naked men with wings; the costumes’ quality and realism only added to the production’s atmosphere and attraction. The costume designers and hair and make-up artists did a spectacular job (Costumes: Laura Talarico, Katy Faivre, and The Costumer. Hair/Make-up: Denise Marlowe, Gina DeLucia, and Suzanne Perucci). The costume changes throughout the show were smooth and every single actor looked the part, all thanks to them.

 Perhaps the most surprising change to the play was the addition of music. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is traditionally classified as a drama (no music involved). The director, Mat Young, proposed to add music, although it was a risky choice. It paid off in the end as the audience enjoyed the music and was humored hearing the songs they knew from past films and plays. The two most notable music numbers were The Circle of Life (The Lion King) and a credits dance to Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire). The Circle of Life (sang by Liam Lonegan) fit perfectly with the plot, actually pulling tears of laughter from some people in the audience. Jai Ho was a very unique addition; it appeared unrelated to the end of a Shakespeare play. However, the cast enjoyed dancing in synchronization, encouraging the audience members to arise and dance with them to this catchy tune. Overall, the addition of music was a well-calculated decision, surprising the audience and making the plot more accessible.

The Brewster High School Production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream impressed the audience, becoming a major success for the theater department. The plot may have been difficult to understand, but the audience members still laughed and enjoyed the experience.

As an audience member myself, I left the PAC extremely entertained, wishing that I could see the drama again. Speaking on behalf of all of the viewers, I would like to thank the cast, the crew, and most of all Andrea Perdicho and Mat Young for this fantastic version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

-          Kevin T. Kelly