Creation Theatre has been putting on a lot of Shakespeare this year – King Lear in February, and now, simultaneously, Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. But tonight’s show is an example of what happens when a company spreads itself too thin.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a pretty madcap play, so I thought it would work well with Creation’s usual unconventional style. I knew that everyone was split into groups in advance, and that we would all regroup at some point. We were sent our starting location a few days in advance, and met at the agreed spot. This is a fun idea, and spending a beautiful summer evening strolling around Oxford is never a bad thing.
The groups move around Oxford fairly smoothly – the execution of the director’s vision is very well done – and it’s nice to see local businesses supporting local theatre by allowing use of their office and café spaces. However, this particular artistic vision doesn’t seem to take Shakespeare much into account. Instead of concentrating on the play’s wonderful language and comedic scenarios, this production spends a lot of time trying to get cheap laughs with panto gags. Massive swathes of the play are cut, often at the expense of the ability to understand the plot. I know this play inside out, and even I am confused. If this is anyone introduction to the play, I can’t imagine they’ll have a clue what is happening.
All in all, I don’t think this is a successful production. If I want to see a pantomime with silly gags and audience participation (and, for the record, I don’t), I’ll buy a ticket for Cinderella at my local theatre in the run up to Christmas. If I want to see an outdoor Shakespeare in the summer, I expect to actually get a bit of Bard for my buck. ★☆☆☆☆ @BookingAround 19th July 2016
