Magic was in the air and on the stage, as a sold-out Regent Theatre audience were entranced by the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s stunning version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
All the elements of the bard’s fairyland comedy were there, enhanced with the music of Mendelssohn, a fabulous set, beautiful and fun costumes, and of course, impressive acting and dancing choreographed by Liam Scarlett.
Leading the cast as the combative fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania were Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson and Katherine Minor, whose final pas de deux was a superb ending for the ballet.
The pair’s rivalry over the Changeling, played by Zengning Guo, set the scene for mix ups and mayhem along the way.
Guest principal artist Gakuro Matsui was thrilling as an athletic and mischievous Puck, stirring trouble and sowing confusion among fairies and humans alike, while dancing with impressive skill.
Adding immensely to the fun was Jake Gisby, making the most of the comic role of Bottom and dancing acrobatically while wearing a (presumably) heavy donkey’s head.
The four confused young lovers were brought delightfully to life by Kate Kadow, Laurynas Vejalis, Cadence Barrack and Shae Berney, combining dance and slapstick in humorous style.
The ballet company had plenty to do as well, including dancing the gloriously costumed roles of fairies, and bringing the comedy as rustics — making even the most complicated sequences look effortless.
All in all, A Midsummer Night’s Dream was storybook ballet at its finest and gave its enthusiastic audience a thoroughly enjoyable dance experience.
