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Of course, a production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM makes perfect sense to be presented in the middle of summer, at the end of the January school holidays, around an old fig tree late in the afternoon and early evening, in Pacific Park near Newcastle Beach on a balmy weekend with a light breeze blowing.

It’s a much-loved play, one of our favourite Shakespearean comedies with its feuding forest faeries, wilful teenagers in love defying parental control and running off into the woods and the somewhat gormless mechanicals putting together an unwittingly hilarious performance of Pyramus and Thisbe for the after celebration of Duke Theseus and Queen Hippolyta’s nuptials.

Never mind that poor Hermia is being forced to marry a fellow not of her choosing, or that Oberon, King of the Faeries is plotting to steal a child from Queen Titania, or that “love drugs” are used to confound and confuse – its Shakespeare! PC has no place here and nor should it. It’s all a dream.
Whale Chorus is a new theatre company in Newcastle that is committed to “…the healing power of storytelling through joyous, irreverent, wild and moving live performance.” Director Janie Gibson, a deeply committed practitioner who has worked and trained around the globe, as well as Assistant Director Phoebe Turnbull, have assembled a talented and well-chosen ensemble of 10 actors aged 23-62, who seamlessly and energetically double up and or play multiple roles. The costume changes, supported by Ella Heathmore and Sami Pavlich, in the tent up behind the fig tree must be epic.

They all have their standout moments. Roger Ly as Puck and Philostrate is perfectly impish and energetic. He also provides some beautiful musical moments as an interlude to allow the poor ensemble to change yet again! Tony Jozef as Oberon and Theseus is another ensemble member who brings musical accomplishment to the show as well as a strong audience engagement and command of the language of Shakespeare. He is also the only actor who somehow never had problems with his radio mic dropping in and out. Don’t know how he did that!

Emily Williams and Marie-Elle Vivaldi as Hermia and Helena delightfully match Shakespeare’s physical requirements (shorter, tall etc.) and are great fun to watch. Joey Porter, who played Demetrius as well as Flute the Bellowsmender is apparently a “new emerging artist,” and this is their first show. You would never know. He is a natural and Sharna Harris who plays Lysander and Snout the Tinker is a great foil and contrast to Joey.

The rest of the ensemble, Sara Barlow (Titania and Hippolyta), Matt Harper (Egeus and Snug the Joiner), Matt Heys (Bottom the Weaver) and Evie Laurence (Faerie the First and Peter Quince) all bring a sense of fun, fake gravitas, and energy to the production. It’s aerobic – they must all be in great shape by now.

Further atmosphere is provided by the musicianship of James McIntyre, quietly playing before and throughout the production. There is a structural balance of moments of ethereal aural beauty and quiet reflection with other times of mayhem, madness and even techno music and dancing.

This production has had some effective edits and runs for slightly less than 2 hours with no intermission. A good time for an outdoor show and the demonstrated engagement of the many young children in the audience (including the 6–7-year-old sitting next to me) attested to the quality of the production and the fact that it has managed to hit the mark for a family show. It was a sold-out crowd too and there were people lining up who hadn’t booked and were simply hoping to be let in.

Given the nature of Pacific Park and its accessibility to the beach, there were quite a few interested passerby viewers, who would stop and watch for a while, including one quite large group of surfy teenagers in board shorts and bikinis. That’s a good thing, surely. Any experience with theatre and Shakespeare is valuable in our thespian minds.

Shakespeare Under the Stars wass supported by City of Newcastle.

Dates: January 28th & 29th Times: 4pm and 7pm (100 mins)
Venue: Pacific Park, 1 Pacific St, Newcastle NSW 2300

Production photography by Solomon Wilks