In this activity you’re going to compare three theatre (not film) productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (the one we’ve watched in class and two more that you will find online).  You can work on your own or in pairs.  

Answer the following questions, using any audiovisual or visual visual resources you need to make your point. 

1. The setting

Any production of AMSND must show that there are two different settings:  the forest and the city of Athens.  

a. What resources are available to each producer (in terms of physical space, props, lighting, etc.)?

b. What resources does each production choose to represent each setting?

c. What aspects of these settings do they choose to highlight?

d. Compare the three performances in terms of how successful you think they are, considering the limitations you identified in question a. 

2. The characters

As we read the play, we see that different characters change as the plot progresses.   Consider the character of Helena in the scene where  she declares her love for Demetrius.  

a. Identify these scenes in the three plays. 

b. Focus on the actress that plays Helena: how are their interpretations different? What does each performance try to bring out?

c. Taking into account that you may be comparing amateur and professional performances (i.e. don’t be too hard on amateur actors), compare the three performances, and say to what extent each succeeds in achieving the desired effect.  

La propuesta de trabajo se basa en conocimiento previo sobre el autor y la obra a ser dramatizada. Requiere de la visualización de tres dramatizaciones de una misma obra, para analizar personajes y puesta en escena.