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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Adapted and directed by Tim Supple
World Stage Series
Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier
800 East Grand Ave (312)-595-5600
Tuesday through Sunday at 7:30 pm
Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm
Running time is 2 hours: 30 minutes with intermission
Through Dec. 7
Bollywood comes to Navy Pier
Whenever a famous novel or play is adapted, not only are there the expected pros and cons, but there is always a discussion about which outweighs the other. 
In the main, Tim Supple's unique, creative, cross-cultural version of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream has enough positives going for it to overcome incomprehensible moments. Oh, the plot complications will certainly be clear to the Bard's aficionados, and to the many who have seen other dramatic and film versions. But the polyglot approach, with actors speaking half the time in English, and the other half in any one of eight possible languages -- Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Tamil, Sandscrit, Malayasian, and Amrath – often obscures meaning. And the spoken English sometimes fails to clarify dialogue when lines are delivered in varied accents.
The Southern Theatre in Columbus, Ohio, offered their audience electronic captions. Chicago did not. The Shakespeare Theater was far from alone in its decision as most of the cities the production graced during its highly successful 4-year international tour also did not, but I would have liked subtitles, or – if that proved too distracting – then some narration. Otherwise, so much that is delicious in Shakespeare's original is simply lost.
What is lost in plot, however, is made up for in spectacle presented by the 23 highly talented, energetic actors, dancers, martial arts experts, musicians and street acrobats from across India and Sri Lanka with their vivid, exotic costumes, difficult gymnastics, well-choreographed intricate dance sequences, and haunting rhythms. Bollywood meets Shakespeare. Unusual instruments create the most wonderful sounds – starting with the weird tones of a "singing stone," a granite rock doused with water, and stroked to create an eerie reverberation – somewhat like a theremin). Three superb musicians –N Tiken Singh, Kaushik Dutta, and Gagan Singh Bais -- in full and fascinating view of the audience – herald and accompany the action on a variety of percussion, wind, and string instruments.
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This is a lusty play. Mischievous Puck (Ajay Kumar) is a muscular, sturdy, agile actor, and neither he nor the two young couples – Vandita Vasa as Hermia, M. Palani as Demetrius, Chandan Roy Sanyal as Lysander, and Kriti Pant as Helena -- pull any punches in the romantic scenes, which are more sexually charged than ethereal. And, of course, the story of Titania (Archana Ramaswamy) and her enchantment and resulting fascination with Nick Bottom (Aporup Acharya) when he is turned into an jackass, is delightfully bawdy.
While the whole cast is excellent, especial kudos for beautiful, graceful Ramaswamy as both Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, and Titania, Queen of the Fairies, and to vibrant P. R. JiJoy in his dual roles of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Oberon, King of the Fairies. Also notable, were Archarya in his highly humorous portrayal as Bottom and Kumar for a delightful, frenetic Puck.
There are many show-stopping scenes. Who could forget Titania asleep in a vivid red fabric cocoon suspended above the stage, or the four lovers verbally and physically fighting with each other while Puck scampers between them attaching elastic ropes to the sides of the stage and thus physically creating the web they have woven of their relationship. Now, while sparring, they must jump over, under, and around it. Especially memorable is the play within the play -- the story of "Pyramis and Thisbe," which the country bumpkins present to the court -- a hilarious tale that transcends language.
The most outstanding moment occurs at play's end, when the entire cast joins in a jubilant celebratory, Indian-style dance following the wedding of the young lovers. The joy expressed in this timeless tale of love, forgiveness and reconciliation transcends cultures – and inspired the audience to rise to its feet as one in a standing ovation.
Recommended
Reviewed by Beverly Friend, Ph.D.
friend@oakton.edu for comments
Date Reviewed: November 26, 2008
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