The last English trip of the academic year fittingly centred on a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Globe. Despite torrential rain, the group’s spirits were high as we took our groundling places against the elements. The disorienting magic of the play was infectious as the play negotiated the tension between the capricious loves of the four protagonists and an underlying critique of the abuse of power. The cast superbly executed A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s chaotic humour, culminating in the artfully presented incompetence of the mechanicals’ play.
Special mention must go to the portrayal of Puck, whose antics were given a more sinister aspect, supported by surprisingly menacing fairies. Puck’s predatory movements disturbed the status quo throughout the play and left a trail of unease for the audience. Although boisterous comedy ruled the stage, the audience remained in a state of perpetual uncertainty and left questioning the nature of the protagonists’ intertwined loves.
Jonathan, Lower Sixth Form
