"A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Paper Summary:

The writer of this article studies various acts of Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The paper provides a view of one of Shakespeare's most famous and most loved works. In particular, the paper looks at how an all-male cast affects three pivotal scenes and explains how this staging tactic demands that audiences respond in a particular way. The writer explains that using only men in all the roles would have been common in Shakespeare's time, but today, it seems to take away from the impact and humor of the play.

From the Paper:

"Clearly, the implications and consequences of the play are different when all the cast members are one gender. Some of the passion goes out of the play, and some of the scenes may even seem ridiculous or far-fetched. Personally, the play is funny and emotional, and some of that might just seem like farce to the audience when the cast was all male. It might seem more like "The Bird Cage" or other gay films. Giving hints of femaleness may work with some of the cast, but in other scenes, giving hints may simply take away the dramatic effect and lessen the impact of the play. The femaleness of the female characters is very important to the play, but it can be overcome with actors who believe in what they are doing and deliver their lines with conviction. Tongue-in-cheek lines will ruin the entire meaning and impact of the play."

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