Shakespeare as a sitcom

By LIZ BRAUN
Toronto Sun
It's easy to forget how frighteningly sitcomish is Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

 Let Hollywood remind you.

 In this visually charming if lightweight new screen version from filmmaker Michael Hoffman, William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream -- yes, that's the full title -- is set in 19th century Tuscany, where it can get the big costume treatment.

 And the big names. The cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Kevin Kline, Rupert Everett and Calista Flockhart.

 A Midsummer Night's Dream is a love story. Well, sort of. For this outing, the action begins in the Tuscan countryside. Servants bustle about preparing for the wedding between Duke Theseus (David Strathairn) and Hippolyta (Sophie Marceau).

 But first, the Duke must help settle an argument involving an arranged marriage: Hermia and Demetrius are meant to marry, but Hermia loves Lysander and Lysander loves her. Furthermore, Hermia's best friend Helena is madly in love with Demetrius.

 Well, hard cheese all around. Hermia is told she must marry Demetrius or suffer a big punishment, and that's that.

 Hermia and Lysander decide to elope -- on their bicycles.

 Helena and Demetrius go after them.

 They all wind up in the woods, as does a pack of actors, led by Kevin Kline as Bottom, the ultimate ham actor of all time. The actors are just looking for a quiet place to rehearse.

 Lovers and actors alike do not know how close they are to the secret hideaway of Titania and Oberon, Queen and King of the Fairies (Michelle Pfeiffer and Rupert Everett). And let's not forget that little fairy helper Puck (Stanley Tucci with Mr. Spock ears on), who shows up long enough to ride a bike and give love potion to all the wrong humans. Tee hee, etc. This is when things get that sitcom flavour. It doesn't help to have Ally McBeal in the middle of it all, though Flockhart gives good Shakespeare.

 William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, perhaps so titled to cash in on the current Bard thing on the big screen, is lovely to look at, but not exactly transporting.

 Some will enjoy seeing all the satyrs and fairies and forest sprites and the magical element in the story. Others may see only a bunch of actors operating in the land o' bad wigs.

 The music is good, mind you. And it's a pleasure to hear the language. The film is sweet. It is often amusing. It is only the teensiest bit dull.

 It is quickly forgotten