A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

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I can almost guarantee that this new vision of Shakespeare’s fantastical play will leave audiences divided. I myself having seen pictures and watched Chichester Festival Theatre’s video trailer for this final production in the main space, was somewhat trepidatious, and on entering the theatre the sight of two large projections of that nostalgic BBC test card with the girl clutching a doll and playing noughts and crosses left me in no doubt that we were in for something strange, something weird and even wacky.

I’m not one for reading programme notes before a show starts, I’d rather go in with no preconceptions, it works for me. So it was a hint at the time, confirmed when the stage filled with trippy lights, projections of John Major and the date being the early 1990s, the end of tory domination and their oppressive regime and legislation aimed it ending raves. And what could be a more fun way for framing this fantastical play in a world of vibrant partying and drugs.

Photos: Manuel Harlan

The whole scenario is shifted to Sussex and Chichester, once and maybe still a conservative stronghold and much of the humour is channeled in that framework. The tweaks and twists to the text are not subtle but neither are they annoying and they sit well within this re-imagining. Theseus is thus played as the successful Conservative MP by Tom Kanji is besotted by his betrothed Hippolyta, a dipsomaniac Thatcher look-alike delivered by Celeste Dodwell. Egeus is Chichester’s Chief Constable, Henry Everett, is a blustering pillar of right, duly distraught it would seem by his daughter, Hermia’s declaration of love for here girlfriend Lysander… yes you read that right, a gender swap within the opening scene, Hermia is lesbian, Lysander a girl and poor Demetrius left wondering what the hell is going on in world. And when the three young lovers are joined by Helena their twisted affairs take shape. Angela Saint’Albano’s Hermia is a delight, Elle Larkin a feisty Lysnader, Kieran Taylor-Ford’s Demetrius delightfully bewildered, especially later in the story and Freya Parks is so very funny as a rather stolid Helena. And that is that, in the real world, except of course for the crude mechanicals, more of them later.

Over in fairyland, a world encapsulated in mysterious rave culture, Oberon is an imperious DJ, a towering presence play with sinister intent by David Sturzaker in lurex camo pants and a Rolling Stones T-shirt, he controls his world with of course drugs and the help of his wicked aide-de-camp, and there is plenty of camp in this production, Puck. Shane David-Joseph is a very different vision of Puck, not the impish and boyish sprite we are most familiar with but rather more your neighbourhood drug dealing hood. It works well and he brings it to life with fearless energy. Titania, Oberon’s queen is a drug addled lush in a lurex leotard with streaked make-up and a wig borrowed from Bonnie Tyler via Tina Turner and is surrounded by her rave fairies in dayglo garb that those of us old enough will remember well.

Back now to those crude mechanicals and their play within the play. Peter Quince is the conservative club chairman and an am-dram luvvie of the first water, Giles Taylor is perfect! Charlie Beck’s Snug is delightfully dim, Anna Soden’s Robyn Starveling gushingly simple, Afi Okaidja’s Snout a dullard of a police constable, her delivery of “wall” is something to behold, and Kishore Walker’s Flute a total delight as a put upon schoolboy, not entirely comfortable at being charged with playing Thisbe.

Into their world comes Bottom, a brummy with attitude. Munya Chawawa gives it all in a performance that has the house roaring with laughter from the moment he claims he can play all the parts, to the scenes when transformed he deals iwth the amorous attentions of a drugged up Titania. And he can bray!

All comes to a climax when returned to the real world we get the play within the play, the best rendering I have ever seen, and the wedding, presided over by a willowy and mincing party planner played by Gavin Rasmussen

Co-directors Justin Audibert and Hannah Joss have thrown everything at this riotious and ribald production and to great effect. Joanna Scotcher’s set is deliciously stark in one sense and so very detailed at the same time and the whole brought to life by Elliot Grigg’s lighting and Ian William Galloway’s video. Ryan Dawson Laight has had great fun with the costumes, from a Thatcher blue suit through Chichester tweeds to skimpy club-wear, how I always wanted an orange string vest. It comes together as a feast of irreverent fun that, despite taking marvelous liberties, tells that bard’s tale with clarity. Leaving the theatre to strains of D-Ream’s Things Will Only Get Better was a final and fitting coup-de-grace!

Andrew Kay

25 September

Chichester Festival Theatre

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