Review: IMPROVISED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY at Kennedy Center

There’s something magical about seeing the opening of a show – there’s a palpable excitement from the cast, who can’t wait to share this new creation, that’s echoed back from the audience, who eagerly anticipate this fresh and unique experience. Likewise, closing performances also carry a certain magic – there’s a bittersweet sense of seeing something end, and knowing you get to be part of that unique moment in time that no one else can or will ever see again.

But getting to experience both at the same time? Well, that’s part of the rare charm that the Improvised Shakespeare Company brings to the Kennedy Center this winter.

The Improvised Shakespeare Company (ISC) combines two DC staples: Shakespeare and improv. In a city full of both, it’s pretty surprising we don’t boast our own ISC troupe, but, thankfully, the company is gracing us with their presence for the next month. The concept is fairly straightforward: a cast of performers create a full play in the style of the Bard, completely improvised off audience suggestions. They adopt Shakespearean tropes, cadence, and occasionally characters and settings, but produce something wholly original. This isn’t your 100th viewing of Romeo & Juliet, but it’ll feel just familiar enough while being entirely new.

On ISC’s opening night for this particular run, the company really leaned into the Shakespearean elements in an impressive way. Tasked by the audience to present Fortunov and Isabella, they created a tale of the future Russian king, Fortunov, finally agreeing to seek a bride at the behest and organization of his cousin and friend, Pyotr. Pyotr has invited women from around Europe to vie for the icy monarch’s heart through the Snowball, which is described as a corporate retreat-style conference. The main contenders are five women from England, who decide to compete as a group that will alternate days as Fortunov’s wife, and Isabella, whose father brings her forth despite her love for the man she leaves behind in Italy, Antonio. Antonio, incensed, follows Isabella and her father with his companion, Horatio, and the two disguise themselves as women attending the conference in order to seek out Isabella and prevent her from marrying Fortunov. As is typical in any Shakespearean play, hijinks ensue – instant love, jealousy, mistaken identities, even a few musical interludes – and everything culminates in a wedding and bloodshed that would put Game of Thrones to shame. Throw in some comically pedantic discussions about science and geography, a few deliberate anarchistic references, and some beat-boxing, and you end up with a pretty convincing take on a modern Shakespeare play.

This is in large part due to the talent of the Improvised Shakespeare Company players: Joey Bland, Ross Bryant, Brendan Dowling, Randall Harr, and Blaine Swen. The five men are all clearly talented and have impressive individual backgrounds – Swen is the creator and director of The Improvised Shakespeare Company, and all five have performed with the famed improv group, The Second City; Swen also appeared alongside Bland and Bryant on the streaming platform Dropout (formerly College Humor), where Bryant is a regular contributor. Their thorough understanding of both Shakespearean performances and their ease with improvisation and audience interactions are clear as they rapidly develop their plot and characters, but what really helps them shine is the pure fun they exude – when not actively participating in a scene, the players sit along the edges of the stage, and often joined the audience in their reactions of laughter and occasional disbelief at a particular plot twist. Seeing the performers aligned not just with each other, but also with the spectators, added an interesting layer of intimacy and immersion.

The production side is deliberately kept pretty threadbare – aside from a standard costume nodding at Renaissance Faire wear (white lace-up shirts, breeches, and alternating white and red socks) and a few chairs, the players are left with a bare stage and no props, relying solely on their own ingenuity and abilities to produce anything they need. The production’s placement at the Kennedy Center’s Theater Lab adds to both the experimental nature of the show as well as the intimacy of the performance – the audience feels readily included, which increases both participation and responsiveness – though there was one frustrating element of prolonged feedback from the microphones, which all hang from the ceiling to best capture the players through their madcap movements. Thankfully, this was the only major technical issue – despite the improvised nature of the production, the lighting team managed to follow the players’ cues, creating effects for asides and even the death scenes that really heightened the immersion of the experience.

Improvised Shakespeare Company’s productions may not be faithful recreations of the Bard’s works (you’ll have to stick to the usual suspects for those), but their play off the familiar while indulging in the joy of bringing something new and unique makes for a wonderful theater experience. And, with nearly a month-long run at the Kennedy Center, there are plenty of opportunities to return for a new experience and a bit of fun.

The Improvised Shakespeare Company performs at the Kennedy Center’s Theater Lab through December 23rd. Performance runs are approximately 120 minutes with no intermission. This production is recommended for mature audiences. Additional information about the Improvised Shakespeare Company and performances can be found on the Kennedy Center website.

Photos provided by the Improvised Shakespeare Company and feature Ross Bryant, Randall Harr, Blaine Swen, Joey Bland, and Brendan Dowling (listed L-R in first photo).

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