Lord what Fools these Mortals be

So, tonight, Michelle (my friend from the costume shop who doesn't have a car and makes less than I do) and I went to see A Midsummer Night's Dream at U of L. And we went to Fazoli's for dinner because we had coupons. I think between the 2 of us, the entire evening cost $2.95.

Now, Midsummer is one of those shows I take for granted because I've read it at least 6 times and seen it more than that. And no matter how many times I see it, I always forget there are some people out there who haven't. So, while Michelle and I are watching the costumes and the fight choreography, and I'm watching the lighting design and listening to the sound design, there are people just watching the story. Hrm... And because I spend so much time laughing at the cheesey "magic" sound they used on the mime when Puck or Oberon put the flower in the sleepers' eyes, it was only when the actors did something completely fresh that I noticed them at all. For example, the fairies were onstage during the Helena-Hermia-Lysander-Demetrius showdown "Lo she is part of this confederacy" scene, and the 4 lovers kept removing articles of clothing as they became more agitated and impassioned (I don't think this was a family show). The fairies would steal the clothes from where they landed upstage and try to put them on as best they could over their wings (those who had them). Another good example was when Snout (the rude mechanical who played the wall) made a sort of quieting/centering gesture before he went "onstage."

The whole thing was set in 2050, but the only way to tell was the slightly not-everyday look of the costumes, and that Quince gave out CDs with each player's part and Philostrate used a palm pilot. And for whatever reason, the sound designer used "Clocks" by Coldplay during a scene change and then during the curtain call. (Because we're all going to be listening to Coldplay in 45 years.)

Michelle and I both liked the details on the fairy costumes, but couldn't figure out why their body stockings were way too big (maybe we're just around tights too much). But we agreed that Oberon's top, which was cut so his not-in-perfect-shape pecs hung out, was ugly and the antlers on his headpiece were cheesey (but his cape kicked ass).