A Midsummer Night's Dream
at Laura Secord

Reviewed on April 14, 2023

Arielle Longo
AN Myer Secondary School
Submitted for publication to St. Catharines Standard

"Wacky love story": That's Laura Secord Secondary School's take on A Midsummer Night's Dream described in only three words by director Tracy Thorpe.

A Midsummer Night's Dream begins on the eve of the wedding of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. The story follows multiple subplots that seamlessly merge into one another, each filled with quirky, lovable characters. A bewildering love story unfolds, as we meet Hermia, a young girl in love with a man named Lysander, although her father wishes that she marries another man, Demetrius. Demetrius, despite Hermia's constant reproach, desires her hand in marriage, while their friend Helena is madly devoted to Demetrius, although he does not care for her. Needless to say, with a love potion from a magical flower, a mischievous fairy named Puck, Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the fairies, and a play-within-a-play, a grand, enchanting Shakespearean comedy ensues.

The audience was greeted by a glowy, elaborate set. Radiant flowers, whimsical trees, and colourful costumes transport viewers right into the heart of the magical world of Shakespeare's beloved comedy. The production was evidently a great team effort, with abundant student involvement and creativity.

A particularly pleasant surprise was the music, more specifically the Fairy Theme, the Mechanicals' Theme, and the Lullaby, which were written and arranged by students Ethan Trollope, Eve Pritchard, and Olivia Munoz. Laura Secord students committed to staging a full-scale play this year, despite this being their "off year," for they typically take on a big show only every other year.

As for the thespians, Will Wagner, in the role of Nick Bottom, stole the hearts of many, despite being transformed into a donkey for the better half of the play. His line delivery and comedic timing were spot on.

Anything lost to the fact that the play was performed in Shakespearean English, which can prove challenging to comprehend for some, was completely made up for with the expressive body and facial language of the cast, most particularly from both Hermia, played by Ayla Jamal, and Puck, played by Ryann Warnick. Overall, the entire cast displayed great confidence, and at no given moment did they break character, despite facing minor technical difficulties.

Although written in the late 1500s, the humour of A Midsummer Night's Dream transcends time, leaving audience members' stomachs cramping from laughter. The themes explored within the comedy are relevant too, especially in the world of teenagers, when love seems so fickle and magical at the same time, just like a strange dream. As Nick Bottom so cleverly states, "reason and love keep little company together these days."

Eryn Vanderweyden
E.L. Crossley
Submitted for publication to St. Catharines Standard

Kings! Queens! Lovers and Fairies! Laura Secord's comedic and whimsical performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream took its audience back into 16th-century Athens where this enchanting love story takes place.

Watch as four young lovers, a group of amateur actors called The Mechanicals, and a forest full of mischievous fairies take to the stage. Through the chaos of misapplied love potions and mistaken identities, A Midsummer Night's Dream displays that ultimately, love will prevail.

Laura Secord's actors gave exuberant performances filled with passion, emotion, and lighthearted antics. The cast took on the rhythmic Shakespearean language effortlessly, with crisp, commendable enunciation and articulation.

Emily Fulton, Evan Lewis-Dolinski, Ayla Jamal, and Christian Middleton, who portrayed the characters of the young lovers, Helena, Demetrius, Hermia, and Lysander, skillfully navigated the complex character relationships. Genuine emotion and expression perfectly illustrated each character and relationship throughout the show.

The Mechanicals exhibited impeccable comedic timing. This theatre troupe, composed of Will Wagner, Sophia Munoz, Alex Bergshoeff, Aine Kilduff, Sasha Gough, and Maximus Fretz, elicited abundant laughter both rehearsing and performing their play within a play.

Enchanting, beautiful movements of the shimmering ensemble of fairies contrasted wonderfully with the mischief and mystery of fairy King and Queen Oberon (Jack Jones) and Titania (Skylar Abrahams).

The three intertwining plot lines of this complex narrative were brought together seamlessly, with a captivating performance by Ryann Warnick, who, in the role of Puck, bridged the world between humans and fairies with humour and pure talent.

True professionalism shone through these young actors as they flawlessly continued their performance through a slight malfunction of microphones. Their vocal projection and unwavering focus displayed admirable adaptability through this technical challenge.

The production featured three original musical pieces, written and arranged by Olivia Munoz (Fairy Theme), Eve Pritchard (Lullaby), and Ethan Trollope (Mechanicals' Theme). Each piece enhanced the theatrical atmosphere and complimented the scenes with depth, emotion, and creativity.

The way the stage was transformed into a mystical forest was also an essential element of the theatrical experience. With twinkling fairy lights and fantastical mushrooms and trees, the stage felt otherworldly. Though minimal, the elements of the set were innovative, versatile, and visually stunning. Members of the cast manipulated and spun the sets to transition between locations in a creative and seamless manner. At times, sets were moved during scenes to simulate the effect of a chase, extending the stage beyond the limit of size.

With a wacky and whimsical storyline, talented actors, and a magical atmosphere, Laura Secord's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream was memorable, enchanting, and brought this Shakespearean comedy to life.

Lexy George
AN Myer Secondary School
Submitted for publication to St. Catharines Standard

Laura Secord's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream takes the audience on a seamless journey through the show's many simultaneous plotlines.

The play follows the star crossed lovers - Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena - into a mysterious forest outside Athens filled with fairies and a group of tradesmen-turned-actors known as the Mechanicals. The audience sees their lives plunge into chaos due to magical plants that cause people to fall in love with each other and other miscellaneous fairy mischief.

Although the show used Shakespeare's original Elizabethan language, the play was not difficult to understand due to the actors' thorough understanding of the text, confidence in their delivery and excellent use of body language. The show's energy built as the performance went on, with many moments that had the entire crowd laughing.

This show made use of an ensemble of twelve fairies who all spoke in unison. All twelve fairies were on time and used the same intonation, making it seem as if there was only one voice. The fairies delivered an excellent performance of the lullaby; both the singing and choreography were obviously well rehearsed, and there was an obvious intention in the execution of the movements.

Despite minor technical issues, the cast was able to give a stellar performance. The majority of lines were well-paced, and the actors displayed an excellent use of comedic timing, especially Alex Bergshoeff as Francis Flute playing Thisbe, who perfectly executed the physical comedy of the role. Will Wagner gave a spectacular performance as Nick Bottom, exuding confidence and using even the smallest mannerisms to captivate the audience and give the character more depth. Every actor did a great job of remaining in character when the spotlight was not on them.

While the set was not overly complicated, every prop was used effectively. Through the use of the periaktos, the stage crew signalled the shifts between Athens and the enchanted forest. Certain creative choices in costuming and props caused minor confusion as to the time period of the play; however, the contemporary elements added a new layer of humour to the piece and made it significantly more relatable to the 21st century audience.

A Midsummer Night's Dream was a stunning take on this iconic Shakespearean comedy and a beautifully-executed production.