“the cast perform with energy and cohesion“
Suzanne Mackay
3.5 /5 stars
Sport For Jove do Shakespeare very well, even in a Bard saturated environment such as Sydney which despite a relatively small theatre scene seems to maintain multiple Shakespeare companies and festivals. In this environment, it becomes harder to stand above the crowd, to find new ways to tell these stories and make them exciting and new. For the most part, Sean O’Shea has done this with Midsummer Night’s Dream and mostly avoids the gimmickry which can accompany the choice to double up characters and experiment with the genders of roles.
The summer series presented by Sport For Jove has a few points of difference, the most pronounced being the outdoor venues used to present the works. The grounds of Bella Vista Farm are a perfect backdrop for a comedy with the hint of fantasy ‘the Dream’ provides and although it was a little cold, being able to sit back with some wine and cheese and breathe fresh air makes up for any discomfort. That being said, the stage and surrounds feel a little tight in such a large space. The decision to present on a traditional stage in a cordoned off area around the farm house seems a little restrictive, like being offered a dessert to only consume the glacé cherry on the top, and limited the scope. Perhaps the transfer to Leura in January, with its sculptured gardens and broader stage area will allow more freedom.
The decision to switch the genders of characters varied in success as although the performances were strong across the board, it was sometimes difficult to tell if the characters were making a statement as to gender or merely shifting the paradigm to make gender invisible. As a male character, Rupert Bevan as Helenas brings a whole new feeling to the idea of obsessive attraction, with a malice which it’s unclear is intentional. When Hippolyta becomes Oberon and Theseus transforms into Titania, Claudia Ware and Jake Speer perform a gendered costume ritual, swapping clothing and so become man playing woman and vice versa. Perhaps an opportunity is lost here to comment on gendered power imbalance as Oberon, dressed as man with the gestures of man holds the power while Titania is vulnerable and emotional as woman. It almost falls into the trap of costume as character.
The performances however, more than made up for these limits. With new faces along with a couple of Sport For Jove returners, the cast perform with energy and cohesion. Playing duel characters allowed the actors to showcase their range which they all did seamlessly. Jade Fuda was endearing as Hermia and downright charming as Robin Starveling, to the point where you forget it’s the same actor. Bishanyia Vincent stands out as Bottom, with exquisite comedic timing and as an example of gender character transfer which is seamless and invisible as she makes the character entirely her own and Wendy Strehlow’s tea lady Puck provided some wisdom to the cheeky sprite.
Supporting theatre outside of the usual central city venues is important but I think it’d be patronising to encourage audiences to see this play for that reason alone. This performance could hold its own inside or outside a theatre and in order to push the limits of Shakespeare and even move beyond in a theatrical sense, the audience has to be willing to be part of the conversation. So go see this in either of the two venues it’s playing and draw your own conclusions while you enjoy a picnic, some wine and merriment.
Suzanne Mackay, Theatre Now
