When I first heard that Cashmere High School Drama was performing William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for its fall play, I was unsure what to expect. Not only was this the first time CHS had ever performed Shakespeare, and performed one of his strangest works at that, but it also featured Mr. Dundas on directing duties, replacing long-time drama director Mrs. Gubsch. When I sat down to watch the play’s final full dress rehearsal last night, I was nervous if the actors could simply remember their complex 15th-century lines. However, all my worries disappeared after the first scene, and I knew that the cast and crew had nailed it.
Firstly, I’d like to mention my absolute favorite part of this production: the acting, which I think even Shakespeare himself would be proud of. The actors didn’t just memorize their lines, to my relief, but also gave some incredible, engaging, and hilarious performances. They elevate and enhance the script in so many ways. I can’t talk about everyone I liked for time’s sake, but I’ll mention some standouts. The four main leads, Trip Martin as Lysander, Kalli Miller as Hermia, Micah Meloy as Demetrius, and Lexi Lutton as Helena, were fantastic. They play a strange sort of “love rectangle” (as opposed to a love triangle). Their internal drama is palpable, investable, and at times morose, yet at others absurdly hilarious, which the four actors only serve to elevate. Out of the four, I think Lexi Lutton as Helena did the best in this regard. My other two standouts are Makenna Fritz as the mischievous fairy Puck and Dylan Cornea as the eccentric and foolhardy Nick Bottom, who both have zany, cartoon-like physical performances, amplifying the whimsical, non-serious aspects of the play.
One aspect of the play I enjoyed was that it was fairly easy to follow along with. Although the script is simplified to an extent, a lot of the dialogue is straight from the original 15th-century version. While you might think this would make the already complicated plot of A Midsummer Night’s Dream hard to understand, the expressive acting and the occasional alterations make the story comprehensible for a wider audience. You don’t need to know the story beforehand to follow along with this show.
Something that I was unsure of before watching the play was whether it was going to be funny or not. While A Midsummer Night’s Dream is considered a comedy, and the CHS play has been marketed as such, it was also made over 400 years ago, and I didn’t know if any of the jokes would land in 2025. Fortunately, despite the complex dialogue and old English terminology, the humor actually works. This play is legitimately hilarious. Also, the jokes, like other aspects of this show, are elevated by the expressive and somewhat exaggerated acting.
To wrap things up, some smaller parts of the show I liked were the costumes, the detailed set (one of the best I’ve seen in a stage production), and the more technical aspects of production, like lights and sound. Overall, I’d say that A Midsummer Night’s Dream performed by the Cashmere High School Drama Department is an absolute blast, and I would definitely recommend seeing it at 7:00 PM on October 23rd, 24th, or 25th if you can.
