to be..
or
not
to be.. in evidencespeak the speech.. mssing in action
Independent Shakespear Company has presented The Bard for many years with artistic director David Melville leading the charge ..especially the ISC's Shakespeare in the Park. a free evening under the stars.
The house fills and "Hurt" by Johnny Cash is playing in the preshow.
"I hurt myself today
Hamlet (solus) is an ambitious take on probably the most diagnosed character in the canon of Will's tragic characters, Hamlet (solus) is a sort of Cliff's Notes version of the story, most of which is familiar to certainly every student of Theatre and at least some of the lines to all educated folks. Melville brings to life not only The Dane. but. Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius and the good old Grave Digger.
Imagine Yorick's talking skull singing along with a nicely strummed banjolele, Hamlet's self accompanying on piano, a balladeer with guitar and some groovy theatrical effects: here. in this last week of production.. fully staged.. the essential story of the Prince of Denmark.
Melville is a scholarly and dedicated actor bringing the essence of sundry characters and, of course, the most of the play itself.
To hold the stage and play to a full house, bouncing the narrative along , singing a song (from time to time) .. side by side with himself as characters in the same scene is impressive. BinhAn Nguyens spare scenic design that is fully engaged with Bosco Flanagan's lights and fluid direction by Cary Reynolds makes for an interesting challenge for guys like me who think we know the play. With the essentials all on board and familiar lines (with the exception to the Advice to The Players, unless it went over my head) and the epilogue to the play with Flights of Angels gone, Melville owns the stage and the audience loves it.
Because of scheduling, I am late to the party. The final couple of shows will go up this weekend and then.. the rest is silence until Summer in the Park.
There is a certain casual confidence and even laissez faire in Melvill's performance. It's a confidence that I admire and at once find a bit pretentions. The effortless effort and complete control comes with years at the helm of Los Angeles's own INDEPENDENT Shakespeare Company. Every stroke of the brush from Melville's pallette lands with precision. Banjolele, Piano, Guitar and a Bombay Taxi Horn. meld to bring the play to a unique and creative one hundred five minutes that must be, at once exhausting and a genuine high to share.
Conceived by and performed by David Melville as Hamlet
Crew
Set Design: BinhAn Nguyen.
Costume Design: Isabel Rodriguez.
Lighting Design: Bosco Flanagan.
Stage Managed by Lexie Secrist.
Photos by Grettel Cortes.
Hamlet (solus)
Conceived and Performed
by David Melville
Directed by Cary Reynolds
Indepndt Shakespeare Company
3191 Casitas Ave., Ste 130
(between Fletcher Drive and Glendale Blvd.)
Atwater Crossing
Los Angeles, CA 90039.
Free lot and street parking.March 6 - April 19, 2025
Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays at 7:30 PM; Sundays at 2 PM
The performance is 90 minutes (no intermission).
Tickets starting at $27.50
Students: $25
All Thursdays are pay-what-you-can.
For tickets, please call (818) 710-6306 or reserve online at www.iscla.org
For group rates, contact us: indyshakes@iscla.org