By Ernest Kearney — From the very start of the preshow it was evident that the cast of Mackers! was not only a talented bunch, but that they respected and were elated by each
other’s talents; to me that foretold a good evening ahead. And what do you know, I was right.
We are told in the program notes that Rose Bochner has taken William Shakespeare’s drama, about that wacky husband and wife with the funny accents, Macbeth, and “painstakingly cut out half the play, attempting to keep only the funny stuff.”
This was then given to eight actors on stage, who under the guidance of Mat Severns, aka “Director of Crafts,” went to town using Bochner’s trimming as their springboard to create a daftness, that shimmered like diamonds, and a tomfoolery of such potency that it could even result in the residents of the L.A. morgue doing spit takes.
Silly voices, Obama impressions, double entendres, text-twisting, inspired asides, clever adlibs, goofy hats, vaudevillian bits, a pinch of Marx Brothers, a sprinkle of Larry, Moe and Curly, Hecate (Michael Deni in drag) who belts out to Macbeth (Timothy P. Brown) “I’ll put a Spell on You”; this and more, all adds up to a laugh-fest worthy of the gods.
The cast ensemble here (Arsalan Akhavan, Carlos Chavez, Jack De Sanz, Chase Mullins, Lelia Symington, Noam Tomaschoff, and the aforementioned Brown and Deni) are so skilled, they succeed on both sides of the dialogue.
When playing the scenes for snickers and snorts they scored big time.
And with those links played straight, they demonstrate a command of the language that only comes from training, experience and pure talent.
In a fashion, they have returned the bard and his play to that original environment where it would have, first, been staged; an environment where actors were constantly padding their roles and in which the comic characters were always clowning for the audience. The results, here, being one of the funniest and best offerings of the 2018 Hollywood Fringe.
For being everything Shakes on the Rocks was not, a solid GOLD MEDAL.
♦ ♦ ♦
Mackers!
Playing During the Hollywood Fringe Festival 2018
at
The Broadwater
6322 Santa Monica, CA
Final Showing on: Saturday, June 23, 2018 @ 6:30 pm
For Complete Show Information, Tickets and Reservations Go To::
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