Did Theseus have a heart attack?
If so, why didn't he ask for help?
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MovieChat Forums > A Midsummer Night's Dream (2016) Discussion > Did Theseus have a heart attack?
If so, why didn't he ask for help?Because Shakespeare didn't write any lines for this death scene, because his version had no death scene, and because Russell Davies didn't quite have the balls to make up entirely new lines to flesh out this new scene, though I daresay had he had a little more chutzpa he could've lifted and tweaked some that would've fit the bill from another Shakespeare play. ("A defibrillator, a defibrillator, my kingdom for a defibrillator" maybe?)
You'll also note that whatever expresses Theseus's wickedness is either in the staging (the forced marriage to Hippolyta), in the setting (fascist decor etc), or in his actions (crossing out and dooming actors on his tablet), but never in the words. Again, that's because his fascistic villainy is Davies's invention, and not found in Shakespeare's playscript.
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I wondered if the implication was that his wine was poisoned - possibly by Philostrate, who seems to be very nervous, and is watching what's happening on his tablet without taking any action to help the Duke.
An inventive and enjoyable take on the play - not of course a straight retelling, but variations on a theme.
Yes, I enjoyed that particular take too. I know the play very well and it's always bothered me a bit that Theseus has conquered Hippolyta and that there is an element of a forced marriage involved - in the concept if not in the text. I found this approach quite entertaining and satisfying. I reckon he has a heart attack - although I hadn't thought about poison: people often don't take chest pains seriously at first and would explain why he doesn't seek help until it's too late.
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