Dec 31 2009
ASP’s Midsummer Night’s Dream
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.
more below the cut:
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.
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.
These are fantastic! I have always wanted to do this.
You must have had so much fun.
Happy New Year!!
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
Sure, go right ahead!
Thanks,
Gareth
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