Twelfth NightGallery Theater, Barnsdall Art Park (4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood 90028)
By William Shakespeare
A production of the Independent Shakespeare Co.
Date of reviewed performance: July 19, 2008
Cast
Count Orsino - Ahmad Enani
Curio - Jinsoo Choi
Valentine - Sean Pritchett
A musician of the court, Sebastian - Matthew Hurley
Viola - Aubrey Saverino
A Sea Captain, Priest of Olivia's Court, Officer - David Nathan Schwartz
Sailor, Officer - Jozben Barrett
Sailor, Fabian - Erwin Tuazon
Maria - Bernadette Sullivan
Sir Toby Belch - David Melville
Sir Andrew Aguecheek - Thomas Ehas
Feste - Bobby Plasencia
The Countess Olivia - Angel Parker
Malvolio - Joseph Culliton
Antonio - Erik Mathew
This was my first experience with Shakespeare in the Park as imagined by the Independent Shakespeare Co. The temporary pseud0-Tudor stage is set on a tiny hill in the middle of Barnsdall Art Park on Hollywood Boulevard. The seating area is shockingly small and, despite reservations, filled up quickly (it was difficult to find room even for a blanket for one, particularly as prickly regulars felt the need to dictate to anyone sitting within earshot what they could and could not do. It's a park, people, lighten up!). Even the cast and crew seemed shocked by the number of patrons, so I'll assume that at most performances finding a large enough patch of grass for your bum isn't this much of a chore.
I only arrived about a half hour or so early, yet the cast came out in street clothes and rehearsed the last scene - which was a bit odd. Shortly after 7:30p, a group of musicians wandered onstage and performed Eddie Vedder's "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" from the movie I AM SAM. It was an odd sort of number, because half of the band appeared to not know the song and they kept looking desperately at the other half for clues. I got the feeling one of the guys just sort of decided two seconds before they walked out on stage that this might be a fun song to do. This sort of beginning left me worried about what the next two hours had in store.
I shouldn't have worried. After the song was over, one of the guys did the official "Welcome to Indepent Shakepeare Co." intro with all the customary niceties. Then the actual play began. The beginning of this particular show was a little rough as the actors worked to get into the groove and find their rhythm with the play and with each other. This rhythm finally was found and set with the appearance of David Melville as Sir Toby Belch. Mr. Melville owns the stage and the audience from his first appearance to the final bow, and the rest of the company immediately improves in energy and enthusiasm in his very presence. I'm sure this is in no small way related to the fact that Mr. Melville (in addition to being a splendid actor who reminds me of a young Tim Curry) is the co-founder and co-director of the Independent Shakespeare Co.
The costumes are a mix of formal nods to the Elizabethan period by way of hipster street clothes. The set consists of a couple of theatre cubes and a trunk and the props are minimal. The majority of the show lay in the hands of the actors themselves, and despite the off-kilter beginning at this particular show, they do not disappoint. Aubrey Saverino is delightful as Viola, while Angel Parker was one of the sexiest Olivias I've ever seen. It is really too bad that there isn't much more on stage in the way of scenery as poor Bobby Plasencia (in the role of fool, Feste) runs out of things to chew to pieces. The rest of the supporting cast is made up of quite sound actors as well. There was a lot of music added to this show, from tweaked drinking songs to a Paul McCartney number - and that certainly helped take one's mind off of the length of the play, which runs at 2 hours not counting the intermission. The musicians were all talented and floutist Jinsoo Choi, in particular, was stunning.
Twelfth Night, as well as their other two summer productions Dr. Faustus and Henry IV (Parts I & II), will be running at staggered times now through August 24th. Go to their website http://www.iscla.com/ for show details. Note: it gets really chilly on that hill after the sun goes down, so in addition to taking a blanket (and water, snacks and perhaps a book if you get there as early as I did) bring a jacket or another blanket to put over you. It will make the second act much more enjoyable.
At the end of the day, it is FREE THEATER in the middle of Hollywood - and quality theater at that...something that's hard to come by (even at premium prices) in this town.
Twelfth Night:
