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Thursday, October 29, 1998

Inspired idea lets magic of Shakespeare vanish into thin air

THEATER: Å’Seance' stifles enchanting plays in effort to increase accessibility

By Erin Beatty

Daily Bruin Contributor

The English language has changed a bit since the 16th century. Certain words have been replaced, and occasional phrases no longer make sense to a contemporary crowd. Perhaps this explains Shakespeare's lack of popularity among children.

In "Hauntings ­ A Shakespearean Seance," Ben Donenberg, producing artistic director and founder of Shakespeare Festival/LA, attempts to combat this stifling roadblock. Achieving a communal feeling is one of the goals of Shakespeare Festival/LA, which started 15 years ago with the mission to "enchant, enrich and build community through professional and theatrical traditions that are accessible to all."

Using magic and a Modern English-speaking "spirit guide," who enters between scenes of various Shakespearean plays, "Hauntings" tries to make Shakespearean drama understandable to a wide and diverse crowd.

And though "Hauntings" manages to be entertaining and drastically different from any other presentation of Shakespeare, it falls short of its goal, often lacking coherency and leaving the viewer overwhelmed and a bit confused.

As the lights dimmed in the misty theater, three loud, strangely dressed actors came tearing through the room. They climbed over the audience cradling eccentric noisemakers, singing and panting unfamiliar lines of iambic pentameter.

It was hard to tell whether or not these actors were capable singers. Though their talent became obvious further on in the show, the Shakespearean lines paired with the melody-lacking music inhibited flow and hardly illuminated the meaning of the language.

The three actors were then introduced as the witches from Macbeth. Clambering around Eugene Burger, magician and spirit guide, they would enter between scenes, singing their awkward songs, providing comic relief and accentuating the deeper meaning of Burger's magic.

Burger, a Merlin-esque magician complete with a long beard and stout build was an interesting addition to the play. His deep voice and comforting tone made for a strong presentation.

His references to the "universal themes of Shakespeare" could occasionally be mistaken for an English lecture, though his comments were strong and thought-provoking.

A wonderful performer, Burger never resembled the classic, cheesy magicians, sticking knives into boxes where scantily clad women lay. Rather, he complemented his magic with intelligence, allowing each trick to represent a broader theme.

One trick in the middle of the performance involved a yellow piece of thread, which Burger cut into pieces only to magically put back together. As he performed he explained that the thread represented life, connecting magic to the death of Shakespeare's son and how the tragedy influenced him artistically.

The tricks themselves were a bit disappointing. Their lack of overblown spectacle was classy, but at times they reassembled those tricks that someone's drunken Uncle Bob would do in front of the family at a Christmas party. Though one couldn't tell how the trick was pulled off, there was no motivation to run up on the small stage and tear apart the magician's clothes, searching for his strategy.

Burger's purpose was to connect and explain the various Shakespeare scenes that came from "Macbeth," "Hamlet," "Richard III" and other plays. He came on between scenes, explain the text, perform a trick, pet his witches and introduce the following scene.

The scenes were chosen for their ghostly nature, taking advantage of Halloween's haunting theme. By selecting a variety of scenes, the goal seemed to be to keep the audience on the edge, anticipating what followed.

Unfortunately, breaking apart the Shakespeare made the meaning harder to catch, the lines harder to decipher and the context of the scene within its play impossible to fathom.

By having Burger appear intermittently, speaking fluid contemporary English, the audience wasn't allowed the opportunity to adjust completely to the Shakespearean English.

Words would fly around the room, and within two minutes, the scene was over and Burger was discussing the play's essence.

The audience also lacked the necessary historical background of the play, so it felt as though they were being tossed about, unaware of plot or purpose.

The show sparkled in its concept, truly trying to make Shakespeare more accessible to the average person.

It failed in its goal, though, leaving the viewer confused and spinning, attempting to put together the convoluted whole.

THEATER: "Hauntings ­ A Shakespearean Seance" runs through Oct. 31 at West Hollywood's Pacific Design Center. Tickets are $16.50-$25. For more information call (213) 489-4127.

MICHAEL LAMONT

The Shakespeare Festival presents "Hauntings - A Shakespearean Seance" which conjures up the ghosts of Macbeth, Hamlet and Richard III. Performances run through Oct. 31.

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