The NYU Shanghai Thespian's Society had a successful two-night run of "A Midsummer Night's Dream.
A comedy by William Shakespeare, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was first performed in 1595. Running only an hour and 45 minutes, far shorter than the usual four-act three-hour production, this abridged performance got to the point quickly without compromising the plot. In this play, the fairy king Oberon and his comical servant Puck mess with the affairs of humans for Oberon’s own gain, which serves as the catalyst for the plot. They meddle with the affairs of four Athenians in love and interrupt the preparations for a play to celebrate the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. These three plot-lines weave together in a hilarious way over the course of the performance, culminating in an entertaining finale that left the audience rolling on the floor.
The show was performed so well with the help of director Regan Slattery. Slattery’s directing was smooth and detail-oriented, ensuring every actor was in character and engaged with one another, whether or not they were speaking.
On top of Slattery’s excellent direction, it was through the excellent actors that “Midsummer” came to life. Eddy Ji, who played Puck, exuded a mischievous energy anytime he was on stage, or in the aisles of the theater (the play saw many actors entering, exiting and interacting in the aisles, but Ji made the audience feel part of it, even posing for a picture in the middle of a monologue). He portrayed the role as a fun and fully lived-in character who made the audience feel immersed in the humor. Similarly, Sloan Inozemcev who led the play preparations plotline as the bumbling Nick Bottom, always left the crowd laughing with his dynamic acting and funny delivery. His performance was so reliably captivating that the audience was already starting to giggle as he walked onstage, and he, with his other leading castmates, was a clear standout of the evening. Another standout was Hayley Yang’s Oberon, a powerful portrayal of the fairy king, and despite his villainy in the story, the audience couldn’t help but root for the character. With a smooth voice and authority in her words, Yang commanded the stage. She, in tandem with Ji, with whom she shared many scenes, kept the audience thoroughly entertained. The pair, a powerful leader and his silly little guy, made every scene they shared a joy to watch.
The lovers, who spent the most time on stage, also shone as a unit; Tiyannah Santiago and Katherine Wu as Hermia and Demetrius respectively delivered especially emphatic performances.
Whether it was the equipment or the crew, the lighting was uneven in the beginning. The spotlight was almost its own character, not being able to follow actors as they traversed the stage and a bit jerky in its movements, but as the show progressed, the spotlight learned how to move in tandem with its actors.
Overall, the show was a resounding success, and as the actors bowed to raucous applause, everyone could see the love and passion that was put into making the show a reality.