William Shakespeare

Director : Daniel Sullivan

     This production seemed to be set in the Victorian era, and utilized quite a bit of “slight-of-hand” magic to tell the story. The fairies were clad in dark (and glittering) costumes and the ensemble of faires was comprised of children which gave an eerie “Black Plague” feel to their scenes. One just couldn’t shake the image of the children breaking into “Ring around the Rosie, Pocket full of Posies…”

     The standout performances were both from Martha Plimpton (Helena) and Jay O. Sanders (Nick Bottom). Both actors had impeccable comic timing and created completely believable and sympathetic characters within the world of the play that director, Daniel Sullivan had created. Another actor to note from this production is “…Spelling Bee’s” Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Francis Flute) whose onstage portrayal of Thisbe (from the play within the play) was really something to behold.

     If you have never been exposed to one of the Public Theatre’s productions of “Shakespeare in the Park,” this is an excellent one to go see first. The magic, costumes, acting, and of course the fact that it is a comedy make this production very accessible to a contemporary audience.