Never in a million years would I have ever believed that a Shakespearean play would be able make me laugh. It’s not easy to amuse me, and I don’t laugh unless I’m genuinely amused by something. Usually, it takes something pretty witty, clever, and well delivered to make me relinquish even a giggle.
My favorite kind of humor is the kind that’s relatable or extremely relevant. I’m always impressed by people who can observe what’s going on around them, and point out the things that everyone can connect with. My favorite comedians and entertainers are always able to point out experiences or moments around them that people don’t even notice day-to-day, like how everyone mumbles 90% of the lyrics to the “Ayyy Macarena” song, or how headphone cords always manage to tie themselves into the most complicated knots ever conceived as soon as you put them down. Otherwise, they comment on what’s current. Jokes about relevant celebrities or top news stories usually manage to get a laugh out of me.
That’s why I had a hard time believing it when I started to chuckle in the middle of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream was told it was a comedy, I was unconvinced. Honestly, it just went against everything I believed in terms of comedy. How could I, who just explained how much I like relevant and relatable humor, possibly enjoy a play written in the 1500’s? What did Shakespeare have to say that was even remotely relevant to my life? Surprisingly, a lot.
This play didn’t discuss current events or a shared experience (I’ve never been part of a love triangle), but kept my interest in a way that I can only explain by crediting the actors and directors of the play. This definitely wasn’t the play that Shakespeare originally had in mind; with the play troop dressed in a wardrobe from the 1920’s, and the fairies dressed in bright, tribal looking attire, the theme of the play was shifted. However, the script was not changed, and I believe the play captured the same essence that Shakespeare intended, which is thanks to the actors. If I had witnessed this play performed in the 1500’s by the first performers, I doubt I would have laughed nearly as hard as I had watching the one I did. Without altering the script, these actors and actresses managed to make a century’s old play feel familiar and current.
The actor who gave a short introduction to the play beforehand advised the audience to pay close attention to the performers’ body language and facial expressions if we were ever confused by the dialogue. He was right; something about their facial expressions, their timing, and their delivery communicated Shakespeare’s message and intentions to me so clearly that it was almost like I had been transported to through time and learned to speak the language of Shakespeare. The words that usually confused me suddenly sounded like plain English and I was enjoying this play like I would a modern day performance, and actually maybe more so. I’ll never doubt a Shakespeare play again, nor will I underestimate the value of talented and passionate performers.
No comments:
Post a Comment