If you like the works of Shakespeare or possibly have no opinion or knowledge, then this show is a must for the enthusiast or an introduction to Shakespeare for beginners. It is assuredly amazing that a group of homeschooled young people can get together and produce a performance of this calibre. There is no doubt that the Production Team consisting of a plethora of Mums and Dads added significantly to the success of this production. The sets, makeup and particularly the costumes took us back to the correct timeline for the play. The set design and construction allowed a smooth transition between acts and become part of the play.
There are three identifiable groups in the play: the fairies, the nobles and the players all of which unite in one way or another to keep the audience on their toes and their brains ticking over. Among the nobles group features the four antagonists that bounce off each other with over-the-top emotions consisting of Liezel Jonker as Hermia, Mahendra Baker as Demetrius, Kestrel Carney as Lysander and Laura Ski as Helena. They have all come under the love spell and demonstrate their acting skills individually and also as a group that at times becomes emotional and exudes jealousy whilst under the spell.
The fairies are led by Oberon a non-human entity played by Beren Carney. His tall stature enables him to demonstrate the mannerisms that belong with this character. He is ably supported by Karen Ski as Puck. Her energy, enthusiasm plus her nimbleness for this part are ideal. She was a scene stealer many times and her solos were memorable.
The players perform a play within a play and are led by Oscar Kelso as Quince who tries to keep the other players in line. This group are given the hard task of performing as bad actors while also delivering some comic relief. This is demonstrated to perfection by Mathilda Paine as Nick Bottom with her interpretation of the death scene which had all the audience crying with laughter.
There is not a weak link within the entire cast even Phoenix McGrath as Tom Snout showed that even playing as THE WALL can have a memorable effect. The onstage music added to the play with period music by recorders, guitar and percussion.
The venue was not helpful with the acoustics, the train noise from the close rail line was evident. However this did not stop the players giving their all with good voice projection to overcome this problem. A must mention is the excellent printed program that gives a full run down of the play. This show is recommended for all age groups and is a worthy contributor to the Adelaide Fringe program.
