Review: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at Synetic Theater

In the hands of Synetic Theater, Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM becomes more than a whimsical tale of love and mischief—it transforms into a kinetic, visually arresting spectacle that dances between comedy and enchantment. Known for its signature style of storytelling through movement, Synetic breathes new life into this classic with a production that is as physically daring as it is emotionally resonant. Hosted and presented by Olney Theatre Center, this revival of the company’s 2009 hit proves that even in a new venue, Synetic’s magic remains undiminished. What unfolds on stage is a masterclass in theatrical economy and imagination, where every gesture, light cue, and costume detail contributes to a world both familiar and fantastical.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM begins with a prologue in a mysterious forest where we meet Oberon (Philip Fletcher) and Titania (Rachael Small), the King and Queen of the fairies. It’s a simple yet visually stunning scene, complete with blue and green hues (a feast for the eyes designed by Andrew F. Griffin) and a tangle of ropes draped down from the top of the proscenium, seemingly meant to evoke a bamboo forest. Oberon and Titania enter in elaborate, detailed costumes that evoke Southeast Asian deities as they dance the prologue and introduce us to the changeling boy taken in under their care, Puck (Stella Bunch).

Suddenly, we’re transported out of the forest and into a joyous scene celebrating the marriage of Duke Theseus of Athens (Chris Galindo) and his betrothed, Hippolyta of the Amazons (Kim-Anh Aslanian). At the party, we meet the young and fair Hermia (Irinka Kavsadze), who is betrothed to Demetrius (Jacob Thompson). However, Hermia prefers the company of another suitor, Lysander (Tony Amante). To complicate matters further, Hermia’s friend Helena (Camille Pivetta) is deeply in love with Demetrius. The Duke insists Demetrius marry Hermia in a regal dance sequence, but this does not dissuade Hermia and Lysander from running off together into the woods.

Meanwhile, we meet a company of local actors, who are putting together a play to present at the wedding festivities of the Duke. Led by the director Quince (Vato Tsikurishvili), the troupe offers the comedic relief of the piece that runs parallel to the story of the young lovers, complete with a three-piece band. For this play, they’ll also be joined by a local celebrated actor, the versatile Nick Bottom (Irakli Kavsadze). We see the actors navigate the trials and tribulations of putting together a show, from deciding on casting choices, props, costumes, and the play itself.

As we switch back to the woods with our young lovers, Hermia and Lysander fall asleep in the forest. Demetrius, in pursuit of his love, follows the two. Not far behind is the lovestruck Helena. However, the mischievous Puck has decided to insert a little chaos into the proceedings. Puck uses a magic flower to enchant Lysander, confusing him for Demetrius, hoping to remedy the unrequited passions of Helena. Though Puck tries to fix his mistake by also enchanting Demetrius, the mischief is already underway.

As the young men awake, they both fall under the spell of the flower and pursue a now-confused Helena. Hermia, thinking Helena has stolen both her betrothed and her lover, quarrels with her friend. Soon, all four are in a tangle of chaos, confusion, and love. Oberon soon finds the foursome, commands Puck to restore order, and the changeling does so—this time enchanting Demetrius to fall in love with Helena and Lysander to fall in love with Hermia.

However, Oberon has his own hands full, as his queen, Titania, has been enchanted by the same flower and has been cavorting merrily with the now half-donkey, half-man Nick Bottom, another victim of Puck’s mischief.

After Puck undoes all his magic, all is restored. The Duke finally acquiesces to the young lovers, as Lysander and Hermia wed while Demetrius and Helena do the same. Following these marriages, the play’s final act is the hilariously farcical production of Quince and his ragtag players’ show, an interpretation of Pyramus and Thisbe. After the raucous conclusion, Puck bids the audience adieu—but not without one more bit of parting mischief.

Synetic Theater proves in this production that it is as versatile a company as the athletic and graceful performers frequenting its stage. This reviewer has only been privy to the company’s more dramatic offerings, but make no mistake—Synetic can tackle comedy just as skillfully. Though there may be more laughs than usual in this lighthearted affair, the exquisite storytelling through motion, dazzling but sparse scenery and costumes, and world-class choreography are all still there. As a friend once remarked to me before my first Synetic production many years ago—and I mean this with the best of intent—this is a company that consistently does more with less. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is just the latest example of Synetic’s creativity and outstanding skill in storytelling.

As is typical of Synetic productions, Irina Tsikurishvili’s choreography tells a story that keeps the audience leaning forward throughout. Admittedly, it does help to either come into this production with a good knowledge of the timeless classic or to at least read the helpful synopsis in the show’s program. Some sequences and details are either so subtle or summarized in a dance sequence that it could be difficult to follow for the uninitiated. Still, this takes nothing away from the beautiful dance sequences.

A real treat in this particular production, besides the choreography typical of Synetic shows, is the physical comedy on display from Vato Tsikurishvili as Quince and Irakli Kavsadze as Bottom/Egeus. Both are clearly gifted in the art of physical comedy and clowning, and luckily, audiences get to witness their immense talents shine brightly in this production. The facial expressions of Kavsadze and the pratfalls of Tsikurishvili are arguably worth the price of admission alone, not to mention the nod and wink to Synetic’s fall production of Hamlet…The Rest Is Silence when Tsikurishvili picks up the skull, much like his tortured prince did last October.

These two standouts are complemented by a multi-talented company of artists, including Flute (Kaitlyn Shifflet), Starveling (Koki Lortkipanidze), Snout (Lev Belolipetski), and Verges (Aaron Kan). The company, besides nailing the comedy, also provides the on-stage music for several sequences during the rehearsals, which makes their good performances even more remarkable.

Running parallel to the farcical antics of the troupe are the delightful performances of our lovers—Camille Pivetta (Helena), Tony Amanta (Lysander), Irinka Kavsadze (Hermia), and Jacob Thompson (Demetrius). They each inhabit their roles well, and I must admit my nearly 40-year-old body needed an ice bath after watching the physicality and athleticism of Thompson and Amanta’s performances.

With a signature reliance on telling the story through movement, it is often the low-hanging fruit to mention the fantastic direction and choreography of D.C. theatre stalwarts Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili. I’ll take a bite of that fruit here and say both do their part faithfully. Though this is a revival of a production from 2009, the material is still fresh, still captivating, and still fantastic to watch.

However, the true artistic standouts of this production come from the technical side. It's the sparse but efficient scenic design of Anastasia Rurikov Simes and the breathtaking lighting design of Andrew F. Griffin that really shine. Simes’ hanging bamboo forest, mentioned earlier, drops the audience perfectly into the mystical fairyland while the players do the rest. And this is not meant to take anything away from Simes’ costume design, which ranges from the detailed ornamentations of Titania and Oberon to the more modern dress of Quince and Bottom. Griffin’s lighting design makes good use of Olney’s ample playing space and expertly directs our gaze to capture the more intimate moments, especially.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM is yet another exquisite offering from the now-itinerant Synetic Theater, which continues to prove that its unique brand of storytelling through movement can captivate anywhere. Hosted by Olney Theatre Center, this production packages a familiar story with gut-busting physical comedy and expert choreography into a visually stunning affair. It is well worth the trip to catch this production. And mercifully, as Olney Theatre Artistic Director Jason Loewith remarked at opening night, the production is NOT being produced outside in the courtyard as originally planned.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM runs from now until August 10, 2025, at Olney Theatre Center’s Roberts Mainstage. The production runs approximately 100 minutes with no intermission.

Additional members of the creative team include: Ben Cunis & Paata Tsikurishvili (Adaptation), Phil Charlwood (Technical Director), Konstantine Lortkipanidze (Resident Composer), Dean Leong (Associate Lighting Designer), Channing Tucker (Associate Costume Designer), Ben Cunis (Original Fight Choreographer), Vato Tsikurishvili (Remount Fight Choreographer), Amy Kellett (Production Manager), Khue Duong (Stage Manager), and Hansin Arvind (Assistant Stage Manager).

Photo Credit: (L to R) Camille Pivetta as Helena, Jacob Thompson as Demetrius, Irinka Kavsadze as Hermia, Philip Fletcher as Oberon, Stella Bunch as Puck in Synetic Theater's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Olney Theatre Center.