A Midsummer Night's Dream

My first exposure to Julie Taymor was the Metropolitan Opera production of 'The Magic Flute', which in spectacle is unlike any other production of Mozart's opera ever seen before or since. She is also no stranger to adapting Shakespeare to screen, having also directed 1999's 'Titus' (love it) and 2010's 'The Tempest' (liked it better than most but it's far from perfect). Also watched this because of my love of Shakespeare and of one of his best plays 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.

Taymor's adaptation of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' from 2014 to me was an absolute magical triumph. It is not just in my view the best of Taymor's Shakespeare adaptations, even beating 'Titus', it also contains some of the best work she ever did in visuals and direction and is among the best productions of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' available. The most visually stunning, most uniquely staged and most magical there is, cannot recommend it highly enough.

Was not surprised that the production looked fantastic, regardless of the state of everything else Taymor's productions always looked striking and she always delivered on the spectacle. Don't think that there has been any other production of hers that has been this successful at having a world/setting this vividly immersive. Especially in the lighting, blue has not looked this beautiful in a long time, and Titania's "casting a spell on the viewer" costume. The sets are not too complex yet because of the lavish and cinematic-worthy projections and lighting they enchant hugely. Props are creatively used, scene changes and character entrances are seamless (the best ones also very atmospheric) and the photography avoids being overblown excess while never feeling stage-bound.

Really loved Taymor's stage direction. 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is centuries old and has been done so many times, one would not think so watching this production. The witty and enchanting spirit that the play has is not just present here but embodied, in some very creative touches and unique visual physical spectacle that was like watching a top form Cirque De Soleil production. 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' has never been this physical or jaw-droppingly acrobatic, especially in the transitions and the stage direction for Puck, all without being distracting, overblown or gimmicky.

It, the production that is, treats the play and Shakespeare's writing with intelligence and respect, staying true in spirit to it, while bringing a lot of freshness to the material without being distasteful. The dialogue is still hilarious and touching and while the storytelling is complicated it never falls into incoherence.

Nothing bad can be said about the performances. Kathryn Hunter is a very unique Puck (and not just because it is another highly effective case of a female playing a role usually performed by a male), very enviously physical and not many other Pucks were this riotous. Also a scene stealer is Max Cassella hilariously having a ball as Bottom, he and Jacob Ming-Trent having some of the production's funniest moments. David Harewood is one of the more restrained Oberons while still managing to be a lot of fun, while Tina Benko is alluring and shrewd. The four lovers are also very well cast and mix comic timing and pathos beautifully.

Overall, truly magical. 10/10

Taymor's signature blend of stage and screen was filmed live in Brooklyn.

This is the standard Shakespeare play with all the overlaying stories, fairies, sprites, four misplaced young lovers, and all.

A Julie Taymor production is more of an acquired taste. Most of her stage productions are minimalist. It is not one of those hybrids with contemporary clothing and the standard iambi pentameter overlaid. This is more stylized and those not familiar with the style will need a little time to adjust. You might also find it a tad noisy as the background is one of the characters.

Even though I did not recognize many of the actors, they each played their character well.

This is the best version of Midsummer Night's Dream that I have seen. The staging is absolutely full of dark and atmospheric effects which makes it exciting and dynamic. Kathryn Hunter was an absolutely captivating and humorous Puck with all of her contortions and physical acting. The 4 main players really let loose and played up the ridiculousness of the love quadrangle between them which allowed us to laugh at all the right moments, and for it not to be too serious during this part of the play which I feel it can often be. We are not supposed to empathise with the 4 youngsters as if they are victims of circumstance but we are meant to laugh at the follies of youth and the ridiculousness of the magical accidents. It is meant to be a comedy. And this version really got that. If you can get your hands on this it is definitely the one worth watching.

Stylistically, this adaptation is unmatched. Utterly stunning! This is a Julie Taymor play, after all. If you know anything about her work on stage or film, you would know that she puts a huge focus on visuals. Unfortunately, that also means she sacrifices other important elements, such as acting. This play is no different. Many of her casting choices were questionable, and I often wondered if the variety of dialects were intentional or just the actors using their natural accents without much direction to try something more cohesive. It was confusing and ultimately did not work. That being said, Taymor's quite literal interpretation of this Shakespearean classic as a "dream" was magnificent to behold, and it made up for what the overall performances lacked. As a filmed adaptation, the cinematography was well thought out and captured what needed to be seen. It was a fun ride that improved as it went on.

I'm somewhat a Shakespeare traditionalist and was prepared to walk out of the theater early. No way. Julie Taymor pulled off a small, and difficult, miracle. We are treated to the spontaneous presence of a stage setting and the freedom of cinema trickery, but with the lightest of touches. And the magic of this cherished comedy has been lovingly preserved. The low tech and brilliant use of fabrics and light gave the production just the right touch of enchantment. There was wonderful use of the chiaroscuro effect, as characters appeared and vanished in out of the shadows. The tiny lights that bathed Titania's face in soft white was a gorgeous touch. And Tina Benko played her to perfection, with a flawless blend of sauciness, raised eyebrow and tongue in cheek. Pale, sinuous and haughty, she was complemented by the strapping brooding black hulk of Oberon, played by David Harewood, leaving all the fairies quaking in his wake. Perhaps the most praise should go to diminutive Kathryn Hunter, giving a decadent Cabaret spin to Puck, with a dash of Jerry Lewis, not to mention some very lithe gymnastics. Max Casella's Bottom also stands out for its hilarious schtick. The director took a few liberties with Shakespeare's lines to great comic effect, most especially with Jacob Ming-Trent's Tom Stout, who got some of the biggest laughs, and deservedly so. I could go, but it's dinnertime and I'm hungry. My hats off to the cast and crew, and most especially to Julie Taymor who created a vision to be proud of. So says I, and so would William, methinks.