CHICAGO—“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is not only Shakespeare’s most beloved comedy, but it’s also the most popular of his works for summer audiences. Those familiar with it can understand why: It’s a perfect fit for an outdoor park setting. After all, the story about mistaken love and madcap matchings takes place mostly in a forest.
The idea of giving audiences a free summer night out in the company of the most famous playwright of all time began 12 years ago with Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s outing in Chicago parks. It was so well received that it has become a yearly tradition for the city and the theater company.
Love and Wonderment
The tale begins as King Oberon (Nate Cheeseman) decrees that a young woman must marry against her wishes. In response, she and her lover run away into the freedom of the forest. Things become more difficult, though, as they and another romantic couple find themselves entangled in a supernatural, chaotic experience where things are not what they seem to be.Over the course of a magical night, these young lovers, Lysander (Blake Hamilton Currie), Hermia (Olivia Pryor), Demetrius (Alex Benito Rodriguez) and Helena (Grace Steckler) are tricked into falling in love with the wrong people.
The wonderful and surprising thing about “Midsummer” is that it is as relevant today as when it was written, about 1594. People haven’t changed in all those years, nor has the search for love lessened, nor has human nature altered. Indeed, “The course of true love never did run smooth” was as true in Shakespeare’s time as it is in our own.
While Shakespeare’s topic of human relationships is one of the reasons that “Midsummer” is appealing to adults, there’s a lot that makes this comedy terrific entertainment for kids as well. Youngsters will enjoy the surprises and magic, such as a character turning into a braying donkey onstage, a cute spirit spreading fairy dust around, and lots of silly tomfoolery that ends up encapsulating a human truth and moral message: “Lord, what fools these mortals be.”
While all the performers—often playing dual roles—do a top-notch job, the standouts are Issy Van Randwyck as Bottom and Brennan Steckler as the mischief-loving Puck. Van Randwyck is hilarious as the “mechanical” who wakes up to discover that when he tries to talk all that comes out of his mouth are hew-haw sounds, and when he rubs his ears, he discovers that they have grown large and furry (courtesy of costume designer Janelle Smith). In addition, the scene in which Jaeda Lavonne, as Queen Titania, mistakenly embraces and smooches the donkey is hilarious.
There really is something for everyone in this “Shakes in the City: A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” If you’re an aficionado of the Bard, you will not be disappointed, as Chicago Shakespeare does the best Shakespeare in the United States. But everyone will enjoy a night out under a canopy of stars, savoring a picnic meal, relaxing on a carpet of green, and watching one of the greatest comedies ever written unfold in front of them.
