Catch the Dream Before It's Time To Wake Up!

You only have one day left to check out Waiting for the Dream at La Mama ETC, directed by Irina Brook. Does her name sound familiar?   Well, if you've ever studied directing, you can't get out of school without studying the work of her Father - Peter Brook.

Produced in association with the Irina Brook Company, Waiting for the Dream is a new adaptation of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."  "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is one of the most well known works of Shakespeare's canon.  Although I knew it like the back of my hand, I never felt like I got it.   Productions are normally dragged out carbon copies of each other, never really saying something.  

Presented in French and English with surtitles, Waiting for the Dream is the story of a group of stage technicians (not much different than the Rude Mechanicals of the play).  They made it to New York for the world premiere of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", but unfortunately without their cast or set.  Everything and everyone else is apparently stuck in Greece due to an airline strike.  So, what to do?  Go on with the show, of course.

Ms. Brook describes her production as an explosion. Frankly I can't think of a better word.  She pares down the script to a mere 100 minutes and gets to the point quickly (which is unfortunately imperative in today's quick paced theatrical culture).  Brook highlights her themes elegantly by reducing the set to a white rug with some wisely chosen props and smart lighting.   By using a cast of men, Brook strips away the garish romanticism of the traditional production.   The casting choice also allows her to highlight the rarely tapped physical comedy of the piece.

Waiting for the Dream is a hilarious production that I only wish ran longer.  This production deserves as large of an audience as possible.  When Hovnatan Avedikian bursts on to the stage as Puck, he promptly crashes into a brick wall.   Finally, we have a Ninja-kicking Puck for the 21^st Century. Brook also actually directs this production with an opinion.  By downplaying the romanticism, she actually chooses to direct her energies toward the idea of "dreams" and how dreams play into the piece.

If you miss today's show, you are missing out on a truly exciting envisioning of the Bard.  Check out www.lama.org  for tickets and times.  

To post a comment, you must register and login.