Richmond Shakespeare A Midsummer Night’s Dream
By Bruce Levy • Jun 16th, 2014 • Category: Reviews, VirginiaRichmond Shakespeare: (Info) (Web)
Agecroft Hall and Gardens, Richmond, VA
Through July 6th
2:20 with intermission
$30/$20 Seniors, RAPT/$15 Student (Plus Fees)
Reviewed June 14th, 2014
Richmond is so fortunate, not only to have summer Shakespeare in the Park performances, but to have them in the courtyard of the regal Agecroft Hall. The 16th season of Richmond’s Shakespeare Festival, presented by the recently combined Henley Street Theatre and Richmond Shakespeare kicks off with A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Director Jan Powell has assembled an A-list of Richmond comedic actors who bring life and laughs to this classic complicated comedy. Mischievous Fairies cast love spells that wreak havoc among characters in multiple story lines surrounding the impending marriage of the Duke of Athens.
First there is Hermia (Audra Honaker) who loves Lysander (Charley Raintree) but her mother Egeus (Anne Carr Regan) wants her to marry Demetrius (Dixon Cashwell) who is loved by Hermia’s friend Helena (Maggie Roop).
Then there are the mechanicals – a rag-tag group of amateur actors rehearsing a play written by Quince (Elisabeth Ashby). Among them are Bottom (David White), Flute (John Mincks), Snug (Lucas Hall), Starveling (Eddie Webster) and Snout (LaSean Greene).
In the final story line Oberon, King of the Fairies (John Moon) with the assistance of his mischievous assistant Puck (Raven Lorraine Wilkes) is responsible for casting the love spells on various characters including his wife Titania (Melissa Johnston Price), who is quarreling with him over an Indian changeling boy that she has taken custody of, but he wants as his aide.
Stand out performances include White as Bottom (a pompous actor who gets turned into an ass) and Mincks as Flute (who, as was common in Shakespeare’s time, is cast in the play within a play as a woman). But it is Wilkes’ Puck that truly is the highlight of the show. Her personable Puck commands the stage with an impish smile and an infectious laugh. The elements of slapstick comedy liberally sprinkled throughout the production work well – especially with the Mechanicals and Audra Honaker and her suitors.
Richard Moxley’s set is basic, with interwoven sticks used as the fairy forest where most of the action takes place. BJ Wilkinson has the difficult task of lighting the stage, while competing in Act 1 with natural sunlight. In Act 2, dim blue lights in night scenes contrast with oranges at dawn and pinks in the “magical” scenes to enhance the mood. Virginia McConnell’s costumes are novel; with an early 1900′s type theme that is never quite explained with Shakespeare’s storyline.
Aptly timed, with ambient fireflies (or fairies?) to light up the sky; A Midsummer Night’s Dream makes for a magical early summer evening of entertainment.
Photo Gallery
Photos by Eric Dobbs
The Cast
The Nobles
- Theseus: John Moon
- Hippolyta: Melissa Johnston Price
- Hermia: Audra Honaker
- Lysander: Charley Raintree
- Helena: Maggie Roop
- Demetrius: Dixon Cashwell
- Egeus/Philostrate: Anne Carr Regan
The Fairy Kingdom
- Titania: Melissa Johnston Price
- Oberon: John Moon
- Puck: Raven Lorraine Wilkes
- Peaseblossom: Patrick Bello
- Cobweb: Catherine Smith
- Moth: Johanna Rozycki
- Mustardseed: Allison Blanton
- Indian Boy: Paxton Martinez
The Mechanicals
- Quince: Elisabeth Ashby
- Bottom: David White
- Flute: John Mincks
- Snug: Lucas Hall
- Snout: LaSean Greene
- Starveling: Eddie Webster
The Crew
- Director: Jan Powell
- Assistant Director: Melissa Rayford
- Production Manager: Austin R. Cooper
- Stage Manager: Hannah Adaway
- Costume Design: Virginia McConnell
- Lighting Design: BJ Wilkinson
- Set Design & Construction: Richard Moxley
- Sound Design: Andrew Craig
- Properties Management: David Plotnick
- Movement Specialist: Kaye Weinstein Gary
- Text Coach: Shirley Kagan
Disclaimer: Richmond Shakespeare provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.
This article can be linked to as: http://showbizradio.com/go/10144.