“Midsummer in December”
December 15, 2008
We attended the magical one-off production of “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” by Richmond Shakespeare tonight. An all-star cast of Richmond theater read Shakespeare’s trippy play from music stands accompanied by a minimum of props, and the overall feel was something akin to a sneak peek at a final rehearsal. However, with direction by Andrew Hamm that made maximum use of the crowded stage and the omnipresent stands, and added reality show-like narration, the production was far more magical than a simple reading and more like a festive private performance in a parlor. Which, come to think of it, ’twas, except with an audience of about 50 in the august surroundings of Second Presbyterian Church’s chapel.
Characters raised and lowered the stands, crouched under them, and moved among them to create comedic effect. And hearty laughs were easy to come by. Scott Wichmann was the best ass in town as a hee-hawing Bottom, and his wildly over-emoting Pyramus stole the show of the play within the play. The ever sparkling, sexy, and saucy Liz Blake got every ounce of outrage from the play’s jokes at Hermia’s small stature. Frank Creasy and Daryl Clark Phillips, two RS vets who simply define “presence” on stage, lent heaps of gravitas, sometimes faked, sometimes real, to their dukely and lordly roles. Joe Carlson was a whirling dervish of a Puck — the character who moved about perhaps the most — drawn somewhere between rake and imp. Joe’s new to RS this year but won a deserved RTCC nomination for his Pistol in Henry IV, and he was sterling in Hamlet. Another fine graduate of the excellent VCU program! And I think it was local critic and player Harry Kollatz in his trademark hat as the full of himself leader of the hilarious band of players. I didn’t catch who played Helena (there was no program) but she was undoubtedly the best at conveying the full range of a lover, from come hither seduction to showing displeasure at being spurned.
In the festive spirit, a few flubbed lines, crashes into music stands, and hiccups in timing were smoothed over and laughed off brilliantly. (After the show, Frank told us there had been only two rehearsals.) Grant Mudge’s ad lib, “It’s hard to get good help around here,” was memorable. And Cynde Liffick’s Titania swooning over Bottom, . . . well let’s just say words won’t do it justice.
Here’s hoping that this “Midsummer” becomes an annual enchanting midwinter diversion!
