I stand by my opinion that it makes more narrative sense for Ollie to be Puck rather than the Changeling Boy in the Midsummer Night's Dream theming. Puck's loyalty is primarily to Oberon (Felix) throughout the play, despite having an affinity for Titania (Elspeth). Puck is the one who gives Bottom the head of an ass (as I've said before, the last time we see Farleigh on screen before the party is when Ollie bullies him into psychosexual submission).
"ollie represents the changeling boy because of elspeth's fascination with him even though he'd otherwise be insignificant in the lives of the cattons if he hadn't gone on to kill felix" WRONG. Puck is one of the main characters of AMND, he's the main throughline of the play, his narration closes the entire show. Hmm. Who else does that? I wonder. Not only that, but looking at the party itself; it's Oliver's Fucking Birthday, he is the main throughline that brough them all here, even if the other characters barely know his name, even if they're barely aware of him. That's also the way he's treated in the play!! He is othered and made a spectacle to the Cattons, who are the only ones who really see him (they're the fairies), just as Puck is othered by the other fairies/spirits in his introduction. They know all about him, while he knows so little about them. In the way they speak about him, they centre him in their lives for the summer, they celebrate him, they make him the main character.
Looking further into the text, I genuinely wonder where the idea of Ollie being the changeling came from, unless it's a word of god thing, in which case I plead Death of the Author. But I digress, in AMND, the changeling boy is referenced in relation to Titania having found this boy, loving him and doting on him, making Oberon jealous as he'd like the boy for himself. I've seen takes commenting on the idea of both Elspeth or Venetia being Titania in this way, but neither of those makes sense? Yes Felix gets jealous (especially of Ollie and Venetia) but she has no power over Ollie in comparison to Felix, none of them do, none of them can keep Ollie for themselves. (eddie as the changeling boy??? in this essay i will - [gunshot])
Also have seen people talk about the antlers being a reference to changelings in mythology, and sure, I'll give you that One Point, however, do you know who explicitly talks about changing himself into the likeness of animals during their first scene of AMND?
A Midsummer Night's Dream. Act 2, Scene 1;
Puck. Thou speak'st aright;
I am that merry wanderer of the night.
I jest to Oberon and make him smile
When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile,
Neighing in likeness of a filly foal:
And then goes on to talk about how he's always changing himself from situation to situation, working mostly to his own ends, if not the enjoyment of Oberon.
Saltburn. Maze Scene;
Oliver: Look, I just gave you what you wanted! Like everyone else does; everyone puts on a show for Felix. So I'm sorry if my performance wasn't good enough.
Puck is the one who poisons the lovers (with love-in-idleness, but again, I digress) and the only people who ever truly see that are the audience.
and maybe it's just me, but the idea that Ollie is the Changeling boy is unsatisfying. like he was a victim of forces greater than himself, implied to be not even a side character; the changeling boy never even appears in the actual script !! - fuck that. There was opportunity, there was choice, for every action Oliver Quick took, every decision he made. Like Puck, he fucked around, and it was primarily everyone else who was hit hard by the consequences.
i would not cast ollie as puck in a production, but in saltburn that is the role he fills. source? dude people keep casting me as puck, ive thought A Lot about this play and this character and his relationships within the show. and Saltburn. obviously.
all that to say that i think someone should drawer Ollie and Felix as Puck and Oberon from the 2013 staging of AMND at the Globe where Oberon gave Puck the most cartoon kiss of joy ive ever seen in my life. Video for reference, which you should watch anyways (i mean if you can find the whole show i also recommend the whole show) its a very fun version;
