As the year comes ever nearer to a close, the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) has one more trick up their sleeve in an exciting 2024 season of ballet and neoclassical works. A Midsummer Night’s Dream might not be the first Shakespearean piece to come to mind, but it is definitely a bundle of fun. First staged by George Balanchine in 1972, it has been readapted by the late Liam Scarlett and accompanied by breathtaking set and costume design by Tracy Grant Lord. The RNZB last performed this piece in 2021 during the beginnings of COVID-19 for a limited audience in the Opera House, Wellington, but the vibrant audience on opening night was a long way from the scattering of viewers back then.

Before the dancing even begins the audience is met with an exciting array of lighting tricks as we are introduced to the changeling and fairies, lit up in different areas of the ornately crafted set. Once fully lit, the stage becomes a home for the graceful and perfectly musical fairies in their tattered green and blue tutus, making way for Titania and Oberon, Ana Gallardo Lobaina and Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson respectively, who strut like royalty towards the unsuspecting changeling.  A fight over the changeling ensues leaving Titania the lucky victor and Oberon in need of a cunning plan.

Cunning could not be better personified than by Puck who, upon awakening, nimbly traverses the stage with Oberon to scheme. Shaun James Kelly perfectly fits the role of Puck and he, along with Guillemot-Rodgerson, with their less conventional male partnering, set the stage for a strong yet quirky relationship. The rest of the cast soon emerges, Hermia, Mayu Tanigaito and Lysander, Kihiro Kusukami taking the spotlight with their effortless partnering while Helena, Kirby Selchow and Demetrius, Zacharie Dun made us laugh with their wild humour. The audience is further enthralled by the heavily folk dance-inspired Rustics. Bottom, Calum Gray, a particular stand-out as the fool of the group, subtly foreshadowing the donkey he would soon become. Oberon and Puck watch omnisciently from the bridge above as their plan comes to fruition, guffawing at the site of Bottom’s hip thrusts and Titania’s innuendos, all added to by the motif of the playful tuba from the orchestra. Guillemot-Rodgerson takes the spotlight with his acting, his facial expressions reading from all areas of the theatre as the audience joins in his humour. However, it is not all smooth sailing for the schemers, as Puck’s carelessness with the four lovers paves the way for a tricky second act.

As the curtains rise and the mist on stage subsides, James Kelly readies us for his onslaught of tricks as he swings down from above in mischievous fashion. Setting his new plan in motion he expertly mimes lassoing the lovers, bringing them bourree by bourree, closer together. It was at this point that Titania is released from her spell and, absolutely disgusted with her unconscious love, admits defeat to Oberon. The wedding march sounds and we are witness to expert choreographic work as each lover makes it up to the other, some excelling through witty acting and others through awe-inspiring partnering. The matchmaking is admirable and for a piece so focused on chemistry each dancer reproduces it with such authenticity and skill.

Upon reflection, a superficially simple story conveyed a lot more meaning than it appeared – the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It highlights that love never does run smoothly and perhaps that love really is just a dream. We as an audience would not be able to enjoy a story like this with such amusement without the interpretative efforts and artistry of the people behind this artform. It was inspiring to see a full house of happy people, knowing how the arts have suffered in the past. The arts are not what sustain life but they are what we live for, and the RNZB have once again given many of us exactly that.

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Fairies, lovers, rustics. Two co-existing realms – a bumbling oblivious party of hiker-campers and a mystical fairy grotto. Forces beyond control, manipulating and creating mayhem. Conflict and resolution. It’s all here in this opulent and skilful rendering of Shakespeare’s beloved masterpiece.
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Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

A welcome return of one of the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s most wonderful productions. This is storytelling at its best and a lot of fun as well! The dancers all relish their roles and take us on a journey that twists earthly romance and meddlesome faerie people and their encounters in a magical forest glade. The opening night Wellington audience loved it. 

The curtain goes up and the set transports us with clever use of levels and spectacular lighting by Kendall Smith. Design and costumes by Tracy Grant Lord are outstanding and shimmer amongst the trees and vines. The story is kept true to its Shakespearean inspiration  and this meeting of mortals and the magical is well known but still surprises.

 Characters are well drawn with Oberon and Puck in control. The dancing is crisp and clear with technical challenges danced as if by magic – this is what classical ballet is all about and the company rise to the challenge in every way. There are many leads and they each excel – engineered by a  mercurial Puck ( Shaun James Kelly) and his autocratic master  Oberon (Joshua Guillemot- Rodgerson), an  exquisite Titania (Ana Gallardo Lobaina) rules as  Queen of a bevy of beautiful fairies.

The mortals out wandering the woods are a cleverly nuanced Hermia danced by Mayu Tanigaito and her suave Lysander( Kihiro Kusukami), persecuted Helena (Katy Selchow)  and her infatuated Demetrius (Zacharie Dun) and a great bunch of kiwi farmers named here  as the Rustics of Shakespeare’s original play.

The four caricatured lovers feel a little cliched and, seen in the world of today, use gestures at times that border on the  inappropriate? Nevertheless the tangle of their attractions is solved and has many entertaining sequences. The ballet romps  through the many misunderstandings engineered by Oberon and his apprentice Puck and stays true to the original  story as it resolves romances, unites partnerships and solves Titania’s infatuation with an ass.  Fairies flutter and frolic as  they dart in and out of the trees and the rambunctious rustics bring high spirited rhythm to their corps de ballet  ‘country style’ . Calum Gray as Bottom is gloriously  gangly.  

All this said, it is the choreography that is the star of this Midsummers Night’s Dream. Liam Scarlett’s talent is manifest in his creativity. His untimely death cut short a real talent and promising choreographic career. 

  Orchestra Wellington under the compelling baton of Hamish McKeich,  is a key part of the sucess of the night, playing Felix  Mendelssohn’s beautiful ballet score.  Scarlett uses the music in every move he choreographs with a real understanding  of dynamic and motif – his ballet dances the music! The steps fit the characters, the partnering shares phrases and echoes the emotional journey each dancer is taking. Puck is everywhere and his footwork is as mischievous as his muddling! 

The final pas de deux by Titania and Oberon soars with ethereal extensions and such command and positivity that we  leave the theatre smiling and feeling that all’s good with our world also. 

Wonderful theatre. Wonderful dancing. Thank you. Bravo to Director Tai King Wall and the entire team at our Royal New Zealand Ballet.

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