"A Midsummer Night's Dream"

This well known Shakespeare play holds a special place for me as I played the part of Robin Goodfellow (better known as Puck) in Pasco High's production of this play my Freshman year.  The part was wonderful to play, and watching the movie tonight really took me back!  I grew up with Shakespeare, spending parts of many summer vacations (including this years) at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  I think the most entertaining part of watching these plays on the screen however is how they are filled with well such well known actors such as...Christian Bale.  Oh yes, Batman is seen here in this film as one of the lovestruck mortals!

I truly enjoy this film, and this play.  It is of course hilarious to see Puck running around in the forest completely mucking up multiple peoples love lives, and seeing the proud Fairy Queen falling head over heels in love with a mortal man turned into...an ass.  This is just pure awkward comedy and I love it.  I also enjoy how the film is set in early 1900s Italy, and parts of the soundtrack include what I assume is Italian opera which really helps place you there in that time and place.  Overall, the costumes, the acting, the sets are fun, bright and colorful...and I like to think that the Bard would have approved of such a rendition.

-David

Fairies. Unrequited love. True love. Mischief. These are words that come to mind after viewing this Shakespearean comedy. It amazes me how much of the play I actually do understand, even though there were times during the film when I asked my husband, "What's going on now?" But I've found that Shakespearean language can be quite comprehensible, you just have to pay close attention.

A Midsummer Night's Dream, (film version) is very well done, with many well known actors and actresses, such as Kevin Kline, Stanley Tucci, Christian Bale, Calista Flockhart and Michelle Pfeifer. Light-hearted opera and orchestra numbers accompany these actors as they move throughout the story, at times in jest, in confusion, and in love.

One of the ending scenes is perhaps where Shakespeare was really having fun, with a play within a play that goes, well, not quite as planned.

-Bethany