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Article: Theater;The Stuff of Dreams; At Arena, Liviu Ciulei's Magic `Midsummer Night'
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- September 29, 1989
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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When Arena Stage produced "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in 1981,
the set consisted of a huge art nouveau tree of twisted metal
branches, a forest floor that resembled Gruyere cheese and an onstage
swimming pool, into which the cast members were forever plunging
headfirst, like so many smiling extras in an Esther Williams movie.
It was some spectacle, but you were often hard pressed to find
the outlines of Shakespeare's play amid all the decorations.
As if to make amends, Arena returned to "Midsummer Night's
Dream" last night to open its 39th season. This time, the production
has been staged by the Romanian director Liviu Ciulei, and the
difference couldn't be greater. Ciulei is ...