“Mackers!” is Wackers at its Best

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

“MACKERS!” Director, Rose Bochner (HFF18)

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.”

 

“Mackers!” Director of Crafts, Mat Severn (HFF18)

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.

“Mackers!” Macbeth, Timothy Brown (HFF18)

 

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.

 

Fringe Award-Gold Medal-The TVolutionIn 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::

http://hff18.org/5163

 


What is Hollywood Fringe 2018?
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Written by

An award-winning L.A. playwright and rabble-rouser of note who has hoisted glasses with Orson Welles, been arrested on three continents and once beat up Charlie Manson. His first play, "Among the Vipers" was a semi-finalist in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition and was featured in the Carnegie-Mellon Showcase of New Plays. It was produced at the NPT Theater in Ashland, Oregon and Los Angeles’ celebrated Odyssey Ensemble Theatre. His following play, “The Little Boy Who Loved Monsters” was produced at The Hollywood Actors Theater, where he earned praise from the Los Angeles Times for his “…inordinately creative writing.” The play went on to numerous other productions including Berlin’s The Black Theatre under the direction of Rainer Fassbinder who wrote in his program notes of Kearney, “He is a skilled playwright, but more importantly he is a dangerous one.” Ernest Kearney has worked as literary manager or as dramaturge for among others The Hudson Theater Guild, Nova Diem and the Odyssey Ensemble Theatre, where he still serves on the play selection committee. He has been the recipient of two Dramalogue Awards and a finalist or semi-finalist, three times, in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition. His work has been performed by Michael Dunn, Sandra Tsing Loh, Jack Colvin and Billy Bob Thornton, and to date, either as playwright or director, he has upwards of a hundred and thirty productions under his belt, including a few at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater as puppeteer. Kearney remains focused on his writing, as well as living happily ever after with his lovely wife Marlene. His stage reviews and social essays can be found at TheTVolution.com and workingauthor.com. Follow him on Facebook.

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