A visually engaging production of one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies.Rating
Good!
The Questors Theatre is a small, welcoming space in Ealing, staging multiple productions a year in both their playhouse theatre and studio. This production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is performed by the graduating class of their Advanced Performance course, and it is very exciting to see emerging theatrical talent!
The Playhouse theatre itself is a fantastic space, with a large thrust stage that allows the audience to feel truly enchanted by the magical mischief and mayhem of the play. However, there are moments when the staging of the fairies in the woods, set upstage under the proscenium arch, feels quite far from the audience. The set design of the forest and costume design of the fairies, Queen Titania, and King Oberon are so stunning that they deserve to be front and centre to allow the audience to fully appreciate them.
The couples work beautifully together. Kira Nicole plays Titania opposite Umar Akram as Oberon, both displaying quick wit and a sense of great status that really brings these characters to life. Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, performed respectively by Reyhan Rajput-Khan and Julie Mannion, have similar excellent moments of shared chemistry. Oberon is joined in his scheming by the magnetic Puck, mischievously portrayed by Sara Canelli.
Helena and Bottom are also real standouts in this show, with both Jenny Gardiner and Tariq Said demonstrating excellent comedic skills and delivering fantastic, high-energy renditions of some of Shakespeare’s most ingenious dialogue. Gardiner performs especially well alongside Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius, brought to life by Christie Southwick, David Richardson, and Luca Olimpi, to create some engaging and humorous scenes of confusion amongst the lovers. This group of four use physical comedy and silent reactions and facial expressions to create some of the show’s funniest moments. Said similarly works with the cast of mechanicals to bring drive and fantastic humour to the show, particularly near the end.
From a directorial point of view, there are several moments when it feels as though the performers aren’t facing the audience for extended periods, particularly during scenes at court, which sometimes makes it difficult to feel fully immersed in the story. Yet, the cast projected excellently and clearly. This performance was captioned, a service the Questors Theatre aims to provide for one performance during each show’s run. This was a fantastic addition that made the show more accessible and inclusive.
The Questors Theatre has an amazing commitment to the training and development of young actors, and it was a joy to spend the evening watching this dedicated group depict the hilarious and chaotic events that unfold in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Directed by Richard Gallacher
Set designed by Steven Hyndman
Lighting designed by John Green & Robyn Backhouse
Sound designed by Jane Arnold-Forster
A Midsummer Night’s Dream has completed its performances at The Questors Theatre
