As I sat and pondered the opening lines of Theseus to his fiancée Hippolyta, “I won thy love doing thee injuries”, I thought, “Well, there’s a problem we need to solve.”
Yet, throughout the play there is a series of unfortunate events where people hurt those they love: Demetrius to Helena, Lysander to Hermia, Hermia to Helena, Egeus to Hermia...…Oberon to Titania. Intentionally or unintentionally, people hurt people despite feeling a deep love for them.
Rather than being perplexed at why people behave the way they do, we observe lovers in action, parents imposing their will on their children, childhood friends letting jealousy get in the way of lifelong friendship and we say, “Isn’t that the truth?”
Before our play begins, Hippolyta and her women ambush Theseus and his men. A battle is fought and both Hippolyta and Theseus show off their skills for each other, launching a love that’s based on admiration and chemistry that brings them together for eternity.
In the meantime, the King and Queen of fairies, Oberon and Titania are fighting over a changeling boy. Titania promised the mother before she died in childbirth that she would take care of the human child, and Oberon can’t stand the attention drawn away from him and wants the child to work for him. The Fairy royalty remove the swords from Hippolyta and Theseus and turn on each other.
The play begins with a battle and ends with a wedding. In the words of Robin Goodfellow (aka Puck), “If we shadows have offended think but this, and all is mended, that you have but slumber’d here while these visions did appear”.
In my final remarks, I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the DREAM TEAM that made this production possible: McKenna, Bette, Pauleen, Kevin, Mr. Clock, Mr. Paparella,
Mr. Fon, Ms. Brown, Lisa Page, our incredible booster board: Jessica White, Carrie Wendell, Elisa Kelley, Jennica Whitfield and Stephanie Frankovic and all the parents that lent a hand or gifts to support our students through this process!
Just as Bottom the Weaver leaves this dream a changed man, may you leave from here in the same state of mind.
Enjoy the dream while you are in it and leave to love the ones you love!
Beth De Marco
FCHS Theatre Arts Director
