Celebrated Midsummer last night by reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream aloud with friends. It really is an appropriate midsummer play, title aside–silly in all the right ways. (Sillier in our hands, no doubt, then in the hands of professionals, who are forced to constrain themselves.) Much fun was had by all.
This reading, by the way, it was clear that Theseus is so covering for the four lovers when he finds them lying disheveled in the woods. “Nothing to see here, move along, we’ll just marry them all tonight before anyone can wonder about anything.” What’s not clear, exactly, is why. Feeling a bit guilty about that conquer-the-Amazon-queen-and-drag-her-home thing? Wanting to convince himself he really is a romantic after all?
And anyone else ever wonder about the fact that, at the end of the play, Demetrius still has love potion in his eyes?