Immediately, Liz
Shipman finds that the emotional center revolves around Hermia
and Helena and Sherri Pullum and Renée Bucciarelli give it
fiery energy. What goes on between them is almost
hand-to-hand combat, but there is so much good humor between
the actresses that you have to admire their blows and share
the astonishment of Demetrius (Andrew Oswald) and Lysander
(Cyrus Farmer) at their wit, ingenuity and terrific willpower.
Watching the battle between these women is great pleasure, and
enlightening.
John Flaherty's
Bottom is an inspired creation who in the woods with Titania
produces a marvelous donkey sound when he laughs and who, as
Pyramus, is a fine frazzled fussbudget. And John
McCarthy as Flute taking the role of Thisbe has an almost
musical instinct about how to make intonation change the most
ordinary words into little explosions of laughter.
D.J.R. Bruckner,
The New York Times
When talent and
directions were in sync, there was some terrific magic
happening on stage. Most smashing were the dueling
ingénues, and they were so good that this was practically the
Hermia and Helena show. Sherri Pullum and Renée
Bucciarelli glowed, glowered, and shone as they spoke the
dialogue with heartbreaking clarity, and were gorgeously funny
besides.
Nearly as
successful was Andrew Stewart-Jones's Puck. With his
horns and pointed ears, this Puck reveled with evil glee at
the tribulations of mortals as he moved, sinuously, among
them. The surefire comedy of the Mechanicals' rehearsal
was led by John Flaherty's Bottom, with Bill Roulet, Phillip
Douglas, Noel Arthur, Joe Ryan, and John McCarthy giving good
support. (Roulet was also exactly right as Egeus.)
Shipman also made
magic with the Fairies (Tatiana Gomberg, Jovinna Chan, Angela
Liao, Fonta Hadley, Josephine Wan, Lucie Chin, Olivia Virta,
and Izzy Finkelstein), most particularly at the end when they
became fireflies. It was an absurdly simple theatrical
trick, but their movements combined with the lovely costumes
were enchanting. And Oberon's henchmen (Eddie Boroevich,
Achilles Vatrikas, and Joe Hamel) accomplished quite a lot
without saying a word. Deborah Wright Houston's Titania
was well-spoken.
The gorgeous
costumes (Deborah Hertzberg) were exactly right all around,
and the simply appointed set (Dan Nichols) easily made the
necessary scenic adjustments mostly through Nichols' s
lighting. Joe Ryan's music was delightful.
David Mackler,
Off-Off Broadway Review
www.oobr.com
 |