A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Reviewed by Taylor Kass
Independent Shakespeare Company
Through September 3

RECOMMENDED

Anything can happen in the woods. In Shakespeare’s iconic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hermia (Justine Faith) and Lysander (Patrick Batiste Jr.) are head over heels in love, but her father orders her to marry Demitrius (Kelvin Morales) instead. Hermia and Lysander plan to elope and flee Athens, but Hermia’s best friend Helena (Noriani Estevez), who is hopelessly in love with Demitrius, alerts him of their plan. The four lovers, along with a troupe of amateur actors rehearsing a play, find themselves lost in the woods — and in the middle of a feud between fairy king Oberon (David Melville) and fairy queen Titania (Sabra Williams). Mischievous fairy magic ensues. In the second offering in their free summer Shakespeare festival, Independent Shakespeare Company offers a fun and accessible Midsummer anchored by solid comedic performances.

William Elsman’s charmingly brash Bottom, who leads the troupe of amateur actors preparing a play for the wedding of Duke Theseus (Melville in a dual role) and Hippolyta (Williams in a dual role), is even funnier when contrasted with his performance as straightlaced senator Brutus in ISC’s production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar earlier this summer. It’s a treat to see the ISC company of actors show off their comedic chops after pulling off a formidable political drama. Other standouts from the cast include Jacqueline Misaye as an adorably naughty Puck and Batiste as Lysander (who also lends his impressive vocal chops to a live band at intermission).

Director Melissa Chalsma brushes over the sexier and darker themes in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in favor of highlighting the play’s lighthearted, joyous humor. But apart from a few fun musical interludes and a pair of bell-bottoms or two, the 1970s Studio 54 production design isn’t quite strong enough to connect to the play’s themes. The fairies’ otherworldly costumes don’t quite match the 1970s vibe either, although their alien-like aesthetic and odd mannerisms are delightfully weird. Aesthetics aside, ISC delivers when it counts — well-acted, creative Shakespeare for all Angelenos.

The Old Zoo at Griffith Park, main lawn, 4801 Griffith Park Dr., Los Feliz; Wed. – Sun. 7 p.m.; through July 30. www.iscla.org. Running time: 2 hours and 55 minutes with one 25-minute intermissi