Local theatre company Right Off the Farm Productions had the formidable task of transforming the Walmer Road Baptist Church (right by campus on stately Lowther Ave.) into a world of fairies and magic for its two-week run of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Under the direction of George Doufexis and with the support of a colorful ensemble of performers, this challenging transformation was pulled off quite admirably.
Justin Deveau gave a lively and charming performance in his role of Bottom, a pompous actor turned donkey who has a fling with the Fairy Queen. Charismatic and immediately likeable, Deveau’s delivery of Shakespearean verse was noticeably fluid and clear, and his rich and boisterous voice filled the whole auditorium. It was a notable success for the actor’s first stab at Shakespearean theatre.
A particularly praiseworthy performance came from Angel Morgan in her portrayal of the mischievous fairy Puck. With disheveled purple hair, she danced and swirled throughout the set, adding a physicality and dynamism to her performance that leapt from the stage. Morgan is also co-founder of the production company, and served as artistic director and producer of the play. Despite juggling so many responsibilities, it was perhaps due to her extensive and seasoned history with theatre that Morgan was able to give it her all onstage and command such a presence. She certainly gave the strongest performance of the evening.
At times the action onstage was difficult to follow and appeared cluttered. Particularly sloppy scenes included the confrontation between two male suitors bewitched by a fairy spell, and the performance of a tragic love story given by a bumbling troupe of actors near the end of the play. These scenes had up to seven or eight characters on stage at once, and the actors’ positioning and movements lacked any strategic choreography-something that could be due to the venue itself, with its small stage, but also points to some weaknesses in Doufexis’ direction.
But beyond those isolated scenes, the actors and director did well in their effort to guide the audience through the whimsical tale of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And even with modest costumes and scenery, the cast’s performance was strong enough in itself to enchant and draw the audience into the mystical realm of this Shakespearean classic.
