Acting in a Mid Summer Night’s Dream
The performances in this rendition of Shakespeare’s legendary comedy displayed the many ways in which an actor can impact an audience. I saw in the acting a level of physicality, at times very flamboyant and at times more subtle, that added new layers to the words being communicated by the actors. The lines were at times exaggerated, undermined, or more artfully expressed, through the graceful movements of the actors. Puck was given such a strong on stage presence what his charming wit and humorous antics. What really set him apart was his physical interactions with the sets and the other characters. His quirky mischief is personified through the actors physical interpretations of what Shakespeare has Pluck saying, and the otherworldliness of his character is given a stronger meaning through the flight so often incorporated in his scenes.
I can’t help but connect this to our study of Tibet Through the Red Box, in that they both work on two levels to add depth to a single story. The same way Peter Sis uses both his words and his art to demonstrate the different levels of the story; the directors and actors wield both the masterful Shakespearean dialogue and the incredible physical talents of the actors to provide a more fantastical, immersive, and impactful experience. I haven’t been able to shake the power of the moment in which Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena joined together to throw pillows at Hermia. Her solitude and the cruelty of a lost love created a deep empathy in me for her, while the humorous dialogue and the silliness of the pillows made me laugh. Feeling two such contradictory emotions adds depth to the experience and demonstrates the artistic effect of not only the acting, but also the expert directorial choices.
