Palo Alto High School’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which will have two final performances this week in the Haymarket Theater, brings to life the timeless Shakespeare classic with first-rate acting, charming costumes and exuberant music and dance.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a story of love with all of its attendant melodrama and pain. The play describes four characters, Lysander (Sam Bellows), Hermia (Maddie Sykes), Demetrius (Zachary Freier Harrison) and Helena (Hannah Crown), who are caught up in complex romantic relationships. Meanwhile, a group of fairies discovers a love potion which the fairies use among themselves as well as to rectify the human lovers’ chaos.
The fairies’ plan goes awry when it accidentally causes two of the men, Demetrius and Lysander, to fall in love with Helena, devastating Hermia, the previous object of the men’s affections. The fairy king (Nathan Wilen) also wreaks havoc by making the fairy queen (Emily Barry) fall in love with a human actor who has been transformed into a donkey.
The lead actors are all outstanding. Caleb Jones, who plays the role of Bottom, delivered a monologue as he mimed suicide that was hilariously emotional. Caleb’s performance as a donkey is also a highlight of the play. Hannah Crown, who portrays Helena, also deserves special praise for her evocative portrayal of desperate love as she begged Demetrius to reciprocate her affection.
Jordan Brown’s performance as Puck, the dancing fairy assistant, was particularly energetic and memorable. Sam Bellows shared many impressive scenes with Maddie Sykes and Hannah Crown, as his artificially induced fanatical love caused his behavior to become comically erratic.
Clearly, this intricate plot is rife with comic opportunities, which Paly’s cast executes flawlessly. Especially hilarious was the enthusiastic roaring of Justin Krasner-Karpen as he portrayed a lion in a play taking place within A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the frenzied pleading of Helena. Demetrius’ cold reactions to Helena’s supplications enhanced their comic effect. The cast also articulates Shakespeare’s subtle double entendres and sexual innuendos with striking flair.
Director Kathleen Woods writes in her Director’s Notes that she envisioned a “Victorian Valentine” as a starting point for the play. The Victorian costumes of the lovers work in charming contrast with the exotic face paint and feather headdresses of the fairies to create a mood that harmonizes perfectly with the storyline.
Woods adds a contemporary twist to A Midsummer Night’s Dream as the characters punctuate the drama with impressive episodes of Bhangra dancing and music.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, showing at 7:30 p.m. on March 13 and at 2 p.m. on March 14 at the Haymarket Theater, is, in the words of Woods, a comedy about “the transformative power of love.”
Editor’s note: The performance on March 14 will be held at 2 p.m., not at 7:30 p.m. The current version of this story reflects this change.