It was good to be in Lewes again on a fine Spring day, clouds racing across the sky, familiar glimpses of the Downs at the ends of streets, and it was even better to know that the School was putting on another show, that we were to be transported from Nazi horrors to Athenian magic. This time the co-operation of the County School for Girls was sought, an experiment which was certainly justified by the play in question -- " A Midsummer Night's Dream."
I was not in a critical mood ; I had no idea that I should be asked to review the production for the School Magazine, and I was there to enjoy myself, to chat to as many old friends as I could and to watch once again an old favourite play. Enjoy myself I did, but first let me appear rude and, perhaps, prejudiced. There was no acting of the same class of previous productions ; of course, there is not the scope for acting as in " Macbeth " or " The Pretenders," and again, as I was sitting at the back of the Hall I may have missed much delicacy of expression. Bottom and his " Crazy Gang " always come over, and they were no exception here. The four lovers are more difficult -- I have seen one really mirth-producing performance -- but these four were a very attractive quartet who moved well and quarrelled forcibly. Theseus and Hippolyta have my sympathy for " sticky " parts. Oberon and Titania, with Puck and all their attendants were good, especially Titania. I am inclined to think that Egeus was the best bit of characterisation in the play.
The production was very good, perhaps a little slow and uncertain in execution at the first performance, but the conception was clear, so that I was sure it would gather strength and speed as the week went on. The stage was always a delight to the eye -- there had been real collaboration between the designers of the scenery and the costumes, and those responsible for the lighting, which was especially effective. How essential an orchestra is to a Shakespearian production was shown by the invaluable assistance given to the play by the music, and if at times I thought the atmosphere induced by some of the eighteenth century music inappropriate, that may be the fault of ears dulled to other beauty by the nineteenth century creation of Mendelssohn.
Every Shakespearian production lacks something ; this was no
exception, but it would be a very captious critic who did not
come under its spell, it moved smoothly from beginning to end,
everyone concerned brought a youthful enthusiasm which irradiated
the production, the astonishing lyric beauty of the play coming
over more freshly than ever.
J. A. S.