A Midsummer’s Night Dream

A Midsummer’s Night Dream

Ahhh Shakespeare.  I have always disliked you!!  I am not a writer, and I have never been much of a reader.  I’ll watch the movie version any day.  Reading my blog, you should be able to assess that English,  and writing, and spelling;  not my strong suites, suits? See!!!

Well, now that I am an adult, (shudder), I have decided that I am starting to get sick of TV.  I have turned to reading.  Believe me, I am not reading Henry David Thoreau, or whatever.  I have been reading witch and vampire books.  Woo!  Sookie J

However, I decided I may take a stab at Shakespeare.  I knew a Midsummer Night’s dream was a comedy, so what the hell, as good a place to start as any.

I asked a friend at work, if she wanted to read it together.  She did!  Awesome.  Reading a book is so much more fun when you have someone to talk to about it.

So we read it.  I enjoyed it.  We read some analysis of it.  The shameless plug about Queen Elizabeth, and cupid’s arrow.  Nice.  Pretty funny at parts, a lot of interesting characters.  I found it a little difficult to read a play.  There are no descriptions of scenery, or facial expressions, or anything.  Just the talking, the rest you have to imagine.  I am not very imaginative.  Oh well, I did enjoy it, and we are going to read a Shakespeare biography next.

The point of this is,  we went to Thomas More College to watch the Villa Players do the play.  LOVED IT.  I was laughing and laughing.  It makes such a big difference when you see a play acted it out, rather than just reading it.  I will admit, that I may have been lost if I hadn’t just read it, but the comedy would have been there regardless.  There were a lot of characters, and a lot going on.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was funny, and silly.  There was some tragedy, for a minute, but the ending was a happy one. 

When Thisbe was over doing it in the play within a play, “OHHH my LOOOOOVE.”  So funny.  A man, playing an oafish man, playing a woman.  HI-larious.  Moonshine, classic.  But what is with the dog?  While Quince was giving the prologue, and the players were acting it over, so overboard, behind him.  So perfect.  Obviously, the play was just the prologue, dry.  But with them going through the motions of the play behind him, so funny.  It just added a new dimension.  I am not going to explain the plot, too long and complicated. 

I thought the craftsmen, were so funny, as they should be.  Nick bottom, great, what an “ass.”  I also really liked Helena, she was on the ground, clinging to Demetrius, begging for love.  So desperate. Good.  One of my other favorite parts, when Lysander, no longer in love with Hermia, puts his hands in her face and pushes her away, look of utter disgust on his face.  I was rolling.

My dad thinks they tended to rush there lines.  Oberon, was his favorite.  The acting was great, but Oberon is a dull character.  I enjoyed the fairies,  HMMMM?   MMMMML  I am considering making my kids to that!!

I understand, Shakespeare is a difficult task, especially now a days.  Everyone was good, the play as a whole was great.  The parts listed above, were my personal favorites.  Was it the play, the actors, the directing?  I don’t know, but I really enjoyed it. 

I was so happy about the entire experience, I decided to share it with you, (only reader, dad), even though you were there.

I may read some more Shakespeare plays, but I will be interested anytime I hear someone is putting on a Shakespeare play.