REVIEW: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

By Gary Murray, volunteer theatre reviewer

If you’re familiar with this Shakespeare play, then you would have noticed a few changes in this version by Printers Playhouse.

The biggest change was that Oberon and Titania’s lines were swapped. I’m not convinced that ultimately there was a good reason for this but here it worked well due to the skill of Andy Wyllie playing Oberon, and Viv Berry as Titania.

In fact, what it did give us was a fantastic performance by Viv Berry. She was by turns manipulative and mischievous and very much in charge.

It was earnest hippies of Glastonbury v punk fairies. And the punks had all the spells and the power.

The action took place in front of a backdrop of Glastonbury-style tents and flags, staged in four performances at the Birley Centre, Carlisle Road, on Saturday and Sunday (28 - 29 March). 

There were some nice set pieces. When Puck (Hannah Attfield, who is excellent) put a spell on the two male lovers, Demetrius and Lysander, we were treated to a hilarious slow-motion stoner struggle between the two while Hermia and Helena attempt an earnest discussion downstage.

Demetrius was played as a kind of ‘Tim Nice But Dim’ by Joshua Ion and Leon Casini’s Lysander was a laid back hippy dude.

Criticisms: some slightly underpowered diction at times, meaning some of the lines were hard to hear, particularly the Rude Mechanicals. Also, I felt that the lighting was a little too gloomy at some points.

However, this was inventive, energised and great fun with a good soundtrack too.

Directors John and Viv Berry have nurtured some good ensemble performances from the cast and it’s a worthy addition to so much good theatre in Eastbourne.

:: Gary Murray was a professional actor for 14 years in theatre, radio, TV and even a couple of operas. After many years on the tech side of the ticketing industry, he now works at Tech Resort and is a volunteer reviewer for Eastbourne Reporter