By Sarah Re
Renaissance Now Theatre and Film presents William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a raucous delight in Provo’s Rock Canyon Amphitheatre. Abridged, the comedy runs a tight 90 minutes while keeping all the best parts.
The cast has been slimmed down to only the bare essentials. Theseus (Will McAllister) and Hippolyta (Sage Peacock) are double-cast as Oberon and Titania respectively, and Margaret Herrick absorbs all of Titania’s fairy band into First Fairy/Peaseblossom. Having only had a week to prepare for the role due to extra precautions taken by the company, McAllister steps up to the plate with script in hand. He presents a staunch authority figure, but we see moments of playfulness in his interactions with Puck (Zel Bromley McAllister). Bromley McAllister is endearing as the wild, free-spirited trickster, Puck, with branches tangled in her long blonde curls as though she might be a part of the forest itself. Peacock appears equally aloof to Theseus as Hippolyta, but melts into the sultry, besotted fairy queen after Titania has been drugged by Oberon.
Hermia (Rilyn Gardner) and Helena (Maren Lethbridge) are on complete opposite sides of the modern social spectrum, feeling more like sisters or the friend you have because of circumstance, rather than besties. Gardner’s Hermia is the Social Media Queen, perfectly put together with the perfect artistic boyfriend, Lysander (Logan Murphy). Lethbridge’s Helena, on the other hand, is obnoxious, rude, and a little unkempt. While funny, we cannot blame Demetrius(Merrick Masters) for “spurning her with his foot.” All four do a fantastic job of speaking the Shakespeare naturally and conversationally, making it easy and digestible for a modern audience.
The play truly shines with the mechanicals, and I must admit it is one of my personal favorite casts I’ve seen. Alice Ellsworth is hilarious as the self-proclaimed leader of the group Quince, handling every director’s dilemma of maintaining order while appeasing an ego-driven actor like Nick Bottom (Will Ingram). Ingram kills it as the artistic egomaniac, finding key moments to subtly exert his power over the group and using his whole body as a creative expression of the text. As the Pyramus to his Thisbe, Riki Squire plays an adorable Flute. Sam Kleyh (Snug) is a perfect “gentle beast” in the final play-within-a-play at the end and Keely Conrad (Snout) and Luke Logan (Starveling) perfectly compliment the group of wannabe artists. Ellsworth, Ingram, Murphy, Masters and Squire are all cast in “King Lear” as well, and I loved the opportunity to see them play such completely different characters. Ellsworth especially stands out as unabashedly goofy in comparison to the cold-hearted Goneril of Lear, and Ingram stands out as the self-obsessed Bottom in comparison to the genuine, beautifully spoken Edgar.
Director Matthew Herrick incorporates the entire landscape into the mise-en-scene, using the foreground above the stage for entrances and exits. My favorite use of the space is Hermia and Lysander’s first entrance into the forest where Lysander is snapping Instagram-able pics of Hermia. The use of cell phones is consistent throughout the show, making a subtle statement about “selfie-culture” and societal addiction to phones. Even while performing, the mechanicals cannot resist the urge to check Facebook feeds or primp in the camera, bringing new meaning to the line “shallowest thicksins”.
One big question for performing artists and enthusiasts alike during this pandemic has been how to safely find a new normal, and Renaissance Now nails it with their Shakespeare in the Park program. Renaissance Now has taken every precaution to keep cast and crew safe throughout the rehearsal process and performances. While attending, anticipate receiving a temperature check before entering the amphitheatre and wearing a mask for the duration of the performance, in keeping with current health guidelines and protocols. The event is donationbased with only forty tickets available each night. You must reserve tickets in advance to ensure proper physical distancing.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is part of Renaissance Now’s “Shakespeare in the Park,” which also features King Lear in the same location, with several of the same actors. If you are looking for a way to safelyenjoy summer Shakespeare once more, then don’t miss your opportunity to see Renaissance Now’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a gaze into modern society through a Shakespearean lens, exploring the bonds of love and shallowness of selfie culture.
Renaissance Now Theatre and Film presents, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.
Rock Canyon Trailhead Amphitheatre
1502 E 2300 N, Provo, UT 84604
Shakespeare in the Park
King Lear July 18, 21, 23, 25, 2020, 7:30 PM
A Midsummer Night’s Dream July 17, 20, 22, 24, 2020 7:30 PM
Suggested Donation for tickets, $10 student/senior, $15 general admission
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/111983146606
Performance Attendance by reservation only, 40 reservations taken for attendance per night, in accordance with the COVID-19 Utah state restrictions.
Face masks required, socially distanced seating
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