AHSPA brings Shakespeare’s wildest rom-com, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to the stage
Staff Writer
AHSPA’s fall production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream opened on November 7th to a full house, bringing this timeless Shakespearean play to life with humor and fairy magic. Set outside of ancient Athens in an enchanted forest, the tale explores themes of love and the complexities of relationships—where meddling fairies ensure that nothing goes quite as planned.
The story follows four young lovers—Helena (Elisabeth Szeto [12]), Demetrius (Hakim Radhanpurwala [11]), Hermia (Vanessa Hinh [12]), and Lysander (Ayaan Arif [10])—who find themselves lost in the woods. Tangled in a complex web of miscommunication and conflicting affections, their plight becomes even more contorted as Oberon (Chase Hsu [12]), the king of the fairies, and his mischievous servant Puck (Divya Eashwer [11]), intervene. Using a magical flower that causes its victim to fall in love with the first thing they see, the fairies create pure hysteria. The messy love triangle that ensues brought many gasps around the theater as the lovers stumbled through the forest, oblivious to the fairies’ mishaps.
Meanwhile, a group of Athenian craftsmen attempts to put on a play for Theseus (Arunav Sharma [10]), the Duke, and Hippolyta (Zyanya Ortiz [11]), the Queen of the Amazons, hoping to entertain them at their wedding. Yet, the oddest among them, Nick Bottom (James Chen [11]), unexpectedly gets swept into the fairy world, where he captures the heart of the fairy queen, Titania (Tanvi Bhide [12]), under bizarre circumstances.
Don’t fret; by morning, love triumphs.
AHSPA’s performance was mesmerizing. The set, with its overgrown vines and dense forest backdrop, captured woodland’s magic through soft lights and lush greenery. The sound design, every subtle sound effect, especially those tied to the fairies’ magic, enhanced the immersive experience. Together, these elements created a bewitching, dream-like realm that perfectly complemented the tantalizing story and the carefully-selected crafts of the cast.
The fairies stood out the most, with their glow-in-the-dark outfits that emphasized their ethereal presence. Their glittering wings—Hsu’s rising dramatically with his booming voice, adding intensity and power to his character, while Bhide’s moved gracefully to reflect her serene demeanor—seemed almost alive. The deliberate, flowing, waltz-like movements added a magical quality to their scenes, making them captivating to watch.
Though deciphering Shakespeare’s language was a challenge, the actors’ expressive delivery and clear gestures made it approachable. Physical comedy, like exaggerated reactions and perfectly-timed falls, added hilarity and conveyed the play’s chaotic tone. These moments of farce had the audience in stitches.
Each actor brought their own charm to these familiar roles. Hsu portrayed Oberon with a commanding presence, delivering his lines with grand authority. In contrast, Chen brought humor and energy to the role of Bottom, drawing many laughs with a playful interpretation of the character.
This rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream impressed with its seamless blend of immersive design and dynamic performances. The show thrived on the energy of the cast’s on-set chemistry and the amount of effort put into all the technical sections. The play’s layers of magic, chance, and erratic romances cast a spell over the audience, leaving them captivated long after the final bow.
Cast members (Ismail Patel [12], Madyson Tran [12], Orna Paul [11], Rizelle Ochoa [12], and Arushi Naidu [11]) rehearse a scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, set in the lush, whimsical forest outside Athens. Their blend of classical costumes and naturalistic backdrop captures the timeless charm of Shakespeare’s tale (Photo Credit: Christine Szeto).
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