Dec 31 2009

ASP’s Midsummer Night’s Dream

Published by at 12:01 pm under reviews,shakespeare,sketchbook

I went to the dress rehearsal of ASP’s Midsummer Night’s Dream and did lots of sketches. I’ve seen this play so many times,  that I found myself focusing less on the story and more on the differences and surprises in this production. The main plot is solid and moves along well, with good performances and some very nice blocking in the “forest” scenes (read: urban jungle), but what really stand out are the scenes with the players. John Kuntz and Robert Walsh are two of my favorite ASP actors, and they are hilarious as Peter Quince and Nick Bottom, along with their troupe of misfit tradesmen-actors. The end of the play is a masterpiece of comic staging. I also liked Marianna Bassham as a punked-out Titania.

I’m trying to do less sketches per page, so that each piece stands on its own a bit more. Consequently I filled a prodigious number of pages. I’ll put a few highlights above the cut, and the rest below, for those who are interested.

Bottom sits perilously near Titania’s resting place - ASP Midsummer sketches 17

Lysander’s love misdirected - ASP Midsummer sketches 22Hermia tries in vain to hold Lysander - ASP Midsummer sketches 24

Thisbe mourns Pyramus - ASP Midsummer sketches 40

The king and queen of cool - ASP Midsummer sketches 44

more below the cut:

Hermia has a problem - ASP Midsummer sketch 03

The set - ASP Midsummer sketch 01 Hyppolita - ASP Midsummer sketch 02 Hermia profile - ASP Midsummer sketch 4 Love is complicated - ASP Midsummer sketch 05

The Players (minus Bottom) - ASP Midsummer sketch 06

Puck and the fairies - ASP Midsummer sketch 07 Oberon and his orders to Puck - ASP Midsummer sketch 08 The main set piece - ASP Midsummer sketch 09 Francis Flute aka Thisbe - ASP Midsummer sketch 10

Puck - ASP Midsummer sketches 11 Helena hases Demetrius - ASP Midsummer sketches 12

Titania, bored - ASP Midsummer sketches 13 Puck drops the love potion in Lysander’s eyes - ASP Midsummer sketches 15

Titania sleeps - ASP Midsummer sketches 16

Bottom sits perilously near Titania’s resting place - ASP Midsummer sketches 17

Bottom the Ass - ASP Midsummer sketches 18 Titania rockin’ - ASP Midsummer sketches 19

Oberon thinks - ASP Midsummer sketches 20 Demetrius awakes - ASP Midsummer sketches 21Lysander’s love misdirected - ASP Midsummer sketches 22Hermia tries in vain to hold Lysander - ASP Midsummer sketches 24

Hermia and Helena argue - ASP Midsummer sketches 25

Puck, closeup - ASP Midsummer sketches 26

“I will lead them up and down” - ASP Midsummer sketches 27 Bottom and Titania sport and play - ASP Midsummer sketches 28

The couples restored to their correct states - ASP Midsummer sketches, digital 28 1/2

Oberon and Titania - ASP Midsummer sketches 29

Theseus is relieved but confused - ASP Midsummer sketches 30 Bottom (a poor closeup) - ASP Midsummer sketches 31Francis Flute - ASP Midsummer sketches 32Hippolyta, closeup - ASP Midsummer sketches 33

Hermia and Lysander dressed for the party - ASP Midsummer sketches 34Pyramus’ grand entrance - ASP Midsummer sketches 36

Pyramus and Thisbe speak through the Wall - ASP Midsummer sketches 37

Lion and Moonshine - ASP Midsummer sketches 38

The Death of Pyramus - ASP Midsummer sketches 39

Thisbe mourns Pyramus - ASP Midsummer sketches 40

All is well - ASP Midsummer sketches 42

Puck with a broom of bones - ASP Midsummer sketches 43

The king and queen of cool - ASP Midsummer sketches 44

6 responses so far

6 Responses to “ASP’s Midsummer Night’s Dream”

  1. # Gadion 31 Dec 2009 at 4:07 pm

    Gareth,

    Great sketches. Are all of those from one rehearsal???!

    My friend Adele is the stage manager ASP. Are you connected with them?

    Also, Kuntz is one of my faves around Boston.

    Going to see this Sat. night.

    Thanks for the preview.

  2. # adminon 31 Dec 2009 at 4:23 pm

    All from one rehearsal, yes, and I am connected with them, loosely. I’ve been following ASP since they started (with Richard III back in 2004). I would do a few sketches while I watched, and eventually I started posting the sketches on my blog. I was also an usher once, and another time I helped paint some walls, which is when I met Ben Evett. Eventually some of the cast and crew started to know who I was, and for the last two seasons they’ve invited me to the dress rehearsals for all their shows.

    If you go back through the posts under the “Shakespeare” category, you’ll find a lot of ASP shows I’ve reviewed and sketched.

  3. # Casey Gon 01 Jan 2010 at 1:37 am

    These are fantastic! I have always wanted to do this.

    You must have had so much fun.

    Happy New Year!!

  4. # mariannaon 01 Jan 2010 at 1:22 pm

    WOW!!!! Love these! Would you mind if I put a few on my blog (crediting you of course and a link to your site?)

    Marianna

  5. # adminon 05 Jan 2010 at 4:00 pm

    Sure, go right ahead!

    Thanks,
    Gareth

  6. # Boston Theater Review of Actors' Shakespeare Project's A Midsummer Night's Dream | Boston lowbrowon 06 Jan 2010 at 6:42 pm

    […] Have a look at Gareth Hinds’ sketches of the show. […]