a midsummer night’s dream william shakespeare artist note: trish lindstrÖm I was first introduced to Shakespeare at his birthday party in Grade Six. Our drama teacher, a Bard-fanatic, was the party’s host and as part of the celebration, we were instructed to learn (by heart) two of Hamlet’s soliloquies. On the day of the fiesta, before dipping into any birthday cake or Tang, we drew straws to determine which speech we would present in front of the class; Blue Straw meant, “To be or not to be…”; Orange, “O, that this too sullied flesh…”. To safeguard against disaster, I strategically planted a friend in the front row to mouth the words. I was barely through the fifth line when, with Orange Straw asphyxiating in my sweaty palm, it was clear that lip-reading would be my only refuge… A loyal fan of Soulpepper since it's inception, I felt like a star-struck teenager when we sat around the table to read this Dream for the first time. I was surrounded by artists whom I had revered for years. To my right: Oliver Dennis, who had, time and time again, made me hysterical with laughter, moved me to tears, and who continues to inspire me to Act Better. To my left: Ins Choi, whose talent I had only marvelled at from a distance; from The Odyssey at Stratford, to his work with the Soulpepper Academy (a group of individuals who redefine “ensemble”). Rick Roberts, our sock-footed captain, sat at the helm, well-equipped with razor-sharp wit and infinite imagination. So began our DREAMY romp… It is two decades since Mr. Comeau’s Hamlet blitz and I’m being lifted by fairy hunks in hoodies and aroused by a buck-tooth-biteplated ass to the tune of Wine Glass. This must be Purple Straw. Pinch me. Could it all be but a mid-winter’s dream?
Trish LindstrÖm, Tatania & Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream