Review A Midsummer Night's Dream

 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream En midsommarnatts dröm

Scenkonst Sörmland, Teaterladan, Nynäs slott

Writer: Lucas Svensson

Director: Maria Weisby

Cast: Lars Bethke, Ingela Schale Berghagen, Mats Jäderlund, Ines Cherif, Anders Jacob, Thérèse Svensson, Lucas Carlsson, Dan Anderson (voice only, as Puck)

Seen with friends AB and UJ 6 August 2023 

 

To begin with I would like to say that I like remakes of Shakespeare’s plays. I usually like the actual productions but even when I don’t, I like the idea of adapting the plays to other times and situations.

 

This production takes place in the late 1930s. Hitler and war lurk in the background. Bottom and Helena are communists and the play is about class struggle. I understand the troupe’s  need to give the play relevance to our time but sadly, it doesn’t completely work. It becomes two plays with the war and class struggle, although relevant and important, a bit weaker than the Shakespeare bit. I hope they do a separate play about it and fix it up to be stronger.

 

There are good Swedish transations of Shakespeare but this isn’t one of them. I’m not even sure how much Shakespeare is actually used but the two best lines in the play, among the best lines in all of Shakespeare, ’What fools these mortals be,’ and ’though she be but little she is fierce,’ are not used at all. Bad decision.

 

Still, the Shakespeare bits are best. Helena (Svensson) and Bottom (Jäderlund) are good and Bethke is a fine Oberon. It works well not to have Puck appear on stage, only his voice, but I miss his last lines at the end. The scenography is good.

 

It’s worth seeing for Stockholmers who have a car and I applaud Scenkonst Sörmland’s effort.