Julie Taymor's Midsummer Night's Dream Reviews

There is something terrifically apt in director Julie Taymor, so loved after creating The Lion King, and so hated after Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, inaugurating a beautiful new theater in Brooklyn with Shakespeare’s play about the fickleness of affection....It is time to love Julie Taymor again.
A Midsummer Night's Dream Review: Julie Taymor Returns, in Brooklyn

surprised the times review hasn't been released yet.

The visuals were sometimes amazing, but there were so many of them that none really landed with resonance. Taymor hasn't always been the strongest storyteller in the world and that was a problem here, I thought. I felt the actress who played Helena was miscast and I realized how integral Helena is to any production of MIDSUMMER. I think she may be the soul of the play altogether, more so than Puck, Bottom, Oberon or Titania. The production isn't ruinous to either the play or Taymor, but there is something naggingly missing about the show as a whole.

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My problem with Taymor as a director is she makes pretty stage pictures but cannot direct emotions or feelings. EVERY and I mean EVERY Taymor show I have seen has lacked heart. Case in point The Lion King, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, finds Simba and the love of his life on opposiite sides of the stage while a "Look at what a genius I am" costume display goes on with some copulating Afrians on wires. They are all very caluculated to wow you with tableaux. It makes for a cold night at the theatre.

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This is the best MIDSUMMER I've ever seen.
My review of MIDSUMMER

It's a 30 under 30 type thing that Theater for a New Audience does. It's on their website. You can purchase it in advance and pick your seat, etc.

I went tonight and I have to say I LOVED it. I'm not Shakespeare buff, by any means, so if you are you might be a little disappointed. They def. throw in some adlibs and whatnot. But I just thought it was such a spectacle and so vastly entertaining. As the NY Times says, you don't go into a Taymor production expecting amazing performances or emotional depth, and you def. won't get that here. But the visuals are incredible. And the woman playing Puck is PHENOMENAL. She steals the show. She's 60 and doing splits and bends, etc. How a theater like this can put on some such a huge production with so much tech and elevators and projections and yet Roundabout can't even afford moving scenery? I don't get it.

The new space is great. I think it might be one of my favorites in NYC. It feels like a hip new take on the Globe style staging.

Well, check the website. It might be an under 35 or something. I don't honestly remember. Or have a friend purchase the tickets and go with you to pick them up! It's worth it!

For those who have seen this production where is best to sit in the orchestra? Front? Side?

Thank you .. got a ticket in the second row of the orchestra on the right side. Looking forward to it!!

I'm guessing someone got injured.

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Yeah, when I saw it there was about a 20 minute delay after the intermission. Wouldn't be surprised if someone was injured. But you should really try and see it if you have the chance. It was worth the wait.

I was merely speculating in regards to injury as the show features grown ups quite literally running over children and women in heels speeding around on floors covered with loose cloth.

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Now I feel guilty for laughing at 3 Stooges eye gouges.

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