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A Midsummer Night’s Dream Streaming.
Movie Title: A Midsummer Night’s Dream A Midsummer Night’s Dream is available for streaming or downloading. |
This is NOT the archaic Hollywood version released earlier this year, but a great production by the Royal Shakespeare Company a few years ago. I saw this production in England in 1995 and it is truly phenomenal. Alex Jennings is an actor of accurate power, forcefully taking on the dual roles of Theseus and Oberon (an bewitching, though not strange near) . Desmond Barritt is absolutely hilarious leading the band of mechanicals. I would HIGHLY recommend this video to anyone, but particularly to those who have seen the play performed by other (particularly American) actors. You will truly have an appreciation for how truly gifted Royal Shakespeare Company actors are.
I was fortunate enough to spy the stage version of this production (same cast, same director, etc.) when the RSC came to Broadway in spring 1996. I loved the explain so powerful that I went to two performances in three weeks.
The video preserves a lot of the most endearing characteristics of the stage show–the double casting (everyone except the four lovers has a “mortal” role and a “fairy” role), the slightly prankish atmosphere, the mystical world of the fairies. I was espcially pleased to gape that the “forest of light” place wasn’t omitted–just as sparkling on film as it was live.
The cast here is qualified. A number of the leads are Olivier Award winners, and it’s easy to perceive why. Alex Jennings (Oberon/Theseus) is a treasure–as Oberon, he is commanding and masterful; and Barry Lynch is an waggish, sexy Puck. All of the mechanicals are magnificent, especially Desmond Barrit as Bottom. Among the lovers, Emily Raymond stands out–she really works to acquire Helena into a recent and sympathetic character. The actors here actually Utilize Shakespeare’s words, instead of reciting them as poetry. How improbable that all of these performances were preserved on film!
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Having said that, I was surprised by some of the changes made to the production for this video. For one, why is the young boy included? During a few of the scenes, the camera is so focused on his reactions that the dialogue is pushed into the background. I also missed the modern music–on Broadway, it was sort of Celtic, and the fairies had a radiant dance in the final scene.
All in all, however, this is a extraordinary film and the best adaptation of “Midsummer” I have seen.
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