| Midsummer Night's Dream William Shakespeare I wonder if "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is Wild Bill's answer to "Romeo and Juliet" and works like it: instead of being passionate, life and death, as-important-as-the universe love, here it we get light, frivolous, fickle and funny love. Who can say which is better? Love is in the air; love is everywhere. But at the middle of it all are two women with frustratingly similar names: Helena and Hermia. Hermia loves Lysander but is engaged (by a controlling father) to Demetrius. Helena loves Demetrius, who can think of no one but Hermia(follow that?) Until a fairy god and an impish spirit step in and sprinkle some love-juice around: suddenly it's all a mess, everyone switches partners like at a square dance. But, naturally, it all works out in the end, and two pairs of lovers emerge to live happily ever after. Two subplots add to the silliness of love: Titania, the fairy queen, under a spell sent by her husband, falls in love with a man with an ass's head. (read: there is no objectivity in love, no "ideal lover".) Then, a bunch of fools perform a hilaroiusly awful play for the king, a play about tragically separated and suicidal lovers...something like Romeo and Juliet. (read: tragedy and love together are hilariously overdramatic.) A enjoyable, funny, light, fairly fast play to read and perform. You gotta love Puck. The only real difficulty I had was keeping Helena and Hermia straight -- now, who loves who? And really, in the end, it doesn't matter who loves who, just that all are loved. Make sure you don't read one of those nasty prose or abridged versions here. Half the fun is the meter, and it's definitely short and sweet enough not to need abridgement. a passage from the play: PUCK: If we shadows have offended, Think but this, (and all is mended) That you have but slumbered here, While these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, No more yielding but a dream, Gentles, do not reprehend; If you pardon, we will mend. And, as I am an honest Puck, If we have unearned luck, Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, We will make amends, ere long: Else the Puck a liar call. So, good night unto you all. Give me your hands, if we be friends, And Robin will restore amends." |