"A Midsummer Night's Dream" Does Not Disappoint!

Yesterday, my English class and I went to see "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. I was pleasantly surprised at how unbelievably funny the production was; the facial expressions, casting, emotions, and conviction of the characters were all incredible. Although I thought MacBeth was wonderful last year, this blew my expectations right out of the water.

Before seeing the show, I was somewhat familiar with "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Last fall, I was a part of the production "Shakespeare's Shorts" at GBN, in which excerpts from several of Shakespeare's most famous plays, including "Midsummer," were highlighted. I was casted as Demetrius, and our director carefully selected some of the most hilarious sections of the play for us to perform. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about the production, so I was very excited to see it at Navy Pier. Little did I know how great the entire performance would be.

The opening scene to the play was brilliant. Bottom was casted perfectly and his mannerisms conveyed a strong arrogance and naiveté. The introducer to the show was not lying when he told the audience to watch the facial expressions. I loved how the rest of the "actor crew" simply adored Bottom, especially Snug (eventually, the lion). This opening scene warmed all of us up for the rest of the show, and effectively added a modern twist while staying uniquely Shakespearean.

The rest of the show did not disappoint. Mixed in with small bits of drama, the comedic bits of the show left my friend Matthew and I convulsing with laughter. I love watching plays, and I've found that I always remember certain lines from the best plays that I see, while lines in mediocre shows slip out of my memory. I specifically recall one of the last lines of the show, when Demetrius comments on how "witty" the wall was in the performance: "It is the wittiest partition that ever I heard discourse!" In all honesty, I was laughing for probably three minutes at this single line. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" showed me how Shakespearean humor is incredibly funny today, and even the smallest lines never fail to disappoint. Simply combining the words "wittiest" and "partition" had me on my knees laughing. Shakespeare is truly a master of description.

Overall, the play was absolutely fantastic. I had always loved Shakespeare's tragedies, yet I had never been fully immersed in one of his comedies. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was the best comedy I could have ever imagined to begin with, and I am extremely excited to see more! By the audience's reaction to each joke in the play, it was clear that I am not alone in this regard. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is definitely one of my top ten favorite plays right now, and I only wish I could see it once more! Sadly, the play closes this weekend at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Next time it performs, however, I will definitely be there!

(But seriously, my friend Katy said that she could hear me laughing from halfway across the balcony. Apparently I have quite the distinctive laugh...)