We saw Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream last night at the Globe Theatre. The play that brought the world such gems as “The course of true love never did run smooth…” The Globe is a theater re-created along the south bank of the River Thames, in as exacting a style and with authentic building materials as possible to replicate the Globe theater where Shakespeare’s plays were once performed in London centuries ago. Which means it is outdoors and there are “groundling” (standing room) tickets as well.
The show was fantastically performed, and we laughed quite a bit. It is one of my favorites of Shakespeare’s plays- maybe for the light theme, maybe for the fact that I understand it (I was no English major), but most likely for the sentimental value. In 1989/1990(?) I played Helena in Swanson Intermediate’s 8th grade production of the classic, the true apex of my illustriously short-lived acting career. My counterparts in that play are still some of my closest friends today. As the actors said their lines last night, I gave Bryan a play-by-play of which friend of ours played whom, which I am sure really enhanced his experience. Not at all.
Forgive the illegally procured no-flash photographs:
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions did appear.
