The 16th century meets the 1960s, Elizabethan
England meets the Bronx and Shakespeare meets "Grease"
in Boomerang Theatre’s "A Midsummer Night’s Dream,"
presented free in New York City’s parks through July 25.
In this delightfully original production, directed by the ultra-talented
Philip Emott, the Duke (Jack Halpin) is a successful CEO, and
the lovers – Hermia (Jennifer Curfman), Lysander (WT McCrae),
Helena (Linda Ignazi) and Demetrius (Joe MacDougall) – are prep-school
kids dressed in loafers, sweaters, flared skirts, neckerchiefs
and anklets.
Oberon, king of the fairies (Peter Morr), is a tough gang leader
whose woman, Titania (Sara Thigpen), is a madame surrounded by
sexy girls of easy virtue. His lieutenant, Puck (Vinnie Penna),
is a streetwise tough who talks like James Cagney but seems about
as bright as one of the Three Stooges.
The Mechanicals, known in this program as "working class
folk," are a motley assortment of bumbling workers who have
been brought into the 20th century. Thus Starveling, the tailor,
is an orthodox Jew who wears a yarmulke and Flute looks like
a short order cook who badly needs to change his once-white apron
and T-shirt.
Lighthearted and earthy, this production is blessed with a fabulous
cast, smart costumes, pitch-perfect direction and the great outdoors
– all collaborating to create a vitality and effervescence far
beyond that achieved in more traditional versions of "Midsummer."
Emott makes the most effective use of space, virtually turning
a whole section of the park into his stage as the actors prance
over the green and through the trees or sit alongside the audience
to watch the Mechanicals’ antics as they declaim "Pyramus
and Thisby."
With no need for set design, Emott has relied on his costume
designer, Carolyn Pallister, to create time, mood and character.
This she has done with great imagination and humor. Puck wears
his wings over bowling shirts and Thisby is ravishing in a long
black wig, a grass skirt and metal pasties over a hairy chest.
But it is the exceptional acting that really makes this production
outstanding. There are the usual heroes here. Penna is unforgettable
as Puck with his swaggers, snorts and world-weary effort to stay
in his master’s good graces. Ignazi is wonderful and goofy as
the long-legged and gawky maiden Helena victimized by misguided
lovers. And Ron Sanborn makes Bottom eloquent, whether he is
a pampered ass or a blundering thespian.
But in this production, even some of the minor characters make
their mark – most particularly the excellent Kathleen Brown who
plays Philostrate, the duke’s master of revels.
Of all Shakespeare’s comedies, it seems "A Midsummer Night’s
Dream" is mounted most frequently. Indeed one can expect
a new version to blossom every spring – indoors or outdoors,
traditional or tweaked for a modern audience or a director’s
whim.
It’s not hard to understand why so many companies want to take
a stab at this work. In the first place, it’s filled with humor
that never goes stale. But no less important is the poetry that
informs its dialogue and the air of enchantment that envelops
lovers, fairies and fools.
What’s more, this humor is so simple and endlessly fresh that
it can be interpreted and re-interpreted and never lose the flavor
of the Bard.
But every once in a while, a company, like Boomerang, comes up
with something really special. Even if you’ve seen "A Midsummer
Night’s Dream" more times than you’d care to remember, this
is one you won’t want to miss.
Boomerang Theatre Company presents "A
Midsummer Night’s Dream" in Prospect Park’s Long Meadow
(enter at Third Street and Prospect Park West) on July 10-11
at 2 pm and in the BAM Park on the triangle bounded by Lafayette
Avenue, Fulton Street and St. Felix Street in Fort Greene July
15-17 at 7 pm. Admission is free. For more information, call
(212) 501-4069 or visit www.boomerangtheatre.org.
