Dreamtime

Yesterday's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream by the company resident in London's Globe Theatre didn't disappoint. An heroic effort was made to construct the Globe in the Esplanade, the houselights were kept on and much fun was had by all, especially, of course, in the Mechanicals' way over the top Pyramus and Thisbe. (Two children sitting fairly close to us were overcome with loud, giggling delight throughout the clowning in a way that was good to hear.) The roots of the Dream in English folk-tale were made particularly prominent in the costuming of the Fairies and the erotic tensions underlying the whole piece were lovingly exploited. Nice to see the doubling of Theseus & Hippolyta with Oberon & Titania: obvious in a good way.

Also pleased that there was a conscious effort to let the verse have room to speak in the various lovers' scenes, rather than being rushed through, as is so often the case these days. There was lots of comic business in their scenes, but a real sense of the lovers' emotional turmoil was allowed to grow due to some judicious slowing of pace. This didn't make them any more distinct as characters, because, of course, they're not, but it did add to the sense of the real pains and puzzles of adolescence and young adulthood.

I came away from the play, as I invariably do, with a feeling of having witnessed something miraculous. Somehow in the time he enchants us in his dream, Shakespeare manages to make something perfect out of his disparate worlds. It's like being allowed to look for a moment into the harmony of things.