You know sometimes we have those things we keep getting involved with, whether we intend to or not? For me, that seems to be “productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. My first one was when I was 13 – I played Titania in the first decent stage role I would ever get (and have forever wished I could play her just one more time a little better than I could then). I didn’t see myself getting involved in any others, until the youth company I have toured with a couple of times announced they were putting it on. This time, I ended up playing all the roles that were too small to have an individual actor playing them, which, needless to say, meant rather a lot of costumes and props when combined together. Last year, having missed out on auditions for a university production of the play through my own poor scheduling, I decided to get involved as stage manager. So yes, when you combine that with having watched the play 3 times and written one essay on it for uni, you might say I’ve become somewhat familiar with it.
Directors of future Dreams, take note of this guide.
- To cut, or not to cut, that is the question. It’s a question most directors of Shakespeare find themselves asking. It’s also very surprising how they seem to (completely independently) make exactly the same cuts. But also very confusing when those cuts are different and you live in fear that you’re working with the wrong version of the play. Or go through rehearsals trying to juggle several different versions.
- After a certain number of productions, you find you can practise lines with pretty much anyone in the cast without the need of a script.
- A Midsummer Nights Dream has some weird props that are a total nightmare for small amateur productions. A wall, anyone? How are we going to create a wall? We can’t literally build a wall. Oh, okay we’ll mime it. Or use cloth. Or construct a puppet. And a lions’ head? Who has one of those hanging about?
- How sexual should this thing really be? Jan Kott called it “the most erotic of Shakespeare’s plays”. But also someone somewhere decided it was family friendly. Spoiler alert – it really isn’t, it’s only made so by some sneaky cutting.
- Can we really add another “dream” themed pop-song in here? Let’s just do a quick google search for songs with the word “dream” in the title.
- Oh no we left the ass’s head at our last venue. Oh don’t worry, it’s okay because this play is SO popular that the theatre we’re at tonight just happens to have one we can use as a temporary replacement.
- Oberon is very very bad at rhyming.
- Titania is the ultimate queen of sassy mic drops.
- Helena is just always horny. Either that or she’s permanently sad. I know which sounds like a more fun production.
- After a while, all the mechanicals whose names begin with S blur into one. Particularly after you’ve played all of them as one character.
- How few fairies can we have? How many fairies can we have? Do we need fairies?
- Helena and Hermia’s height related insults inevitably require the assistance of a stool, Lysander, or some heavily ironic delivery.
- For a play without any actual battles, there’s a surprising amount of potential for injury in this show, from rehearsal slips to randomly thrown props to Titania being smacked in the face by Bottom before anyone realises he can’t actually see through the ass’s head.
- So apparently there are TWO flowers? Not one? Why did it take me so long to notice this? (Answer: because one flower looks much the same as another on stage, and unless you’re literally in charge of props, it’s hardly relevant)
- For a play which is all about illusion, it may surprise you to know that, unlike in most of Shakespeare’s other comedies, there aren’t any twins or disguises
- Quince’s prologue is basically a heavy handed hint that we all need to get our punctuation right, otherwise disaster will ensue
- “Green as leeks”. Really, Thisbe. Your boyfriend just died and that’s the best thing you can say about him?
- Finally, “I am invisible”. Thanks for the heads up, Oberon.
So there you have it. A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a nutshell. One of Shakespeare’s shortest and most understandable plays and definitely one of my favourites. Eternal love to everyone who’s been involved in a production of it with me. (Oh and also, cool fact, it’s one of Shakespeare’s only plays that was original rather than being an adaptation of source material. So the most Shakespearean Shakespeare play, if such a thing exists? Possibly)
Have you been involved in any productions of this play? Have I missed anything out? Let me know in the comments below!
Cadence x
The Literature Lighthouse 