On a day off while exploring the shelves of Moe’s, a bookstore in Berkeley, I picked up a local newspaper I had never seen before. I glanced over the events section for that Saturday night because I was bored and felt pathetic over my lack of plans. Instead of lazing around all day, I decided to go see a play at a nearby theatre. The ad intrigued me as it promoted the modern twist on William Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” as a mashup between the play and Looney Tunes. And if that combination of two worlds colliding doesn’t excite you, then by God, your heart is made of stone and you are the crazy one.
I reread the address, confused, as it said it was at the same location as La Val’s, a pizza place right off the corner of Euclid and Hearst. I was picturing passionate actors reciting Shakespeare lingo while students and families awkwardly avoid the actors’ gaze while trying to have their pizza and beer in peace. But I was so young and naive then, and I forgot that this was Berkeley, CA- home of underground treasures. One of those treasures is Impact Theatre, a kickass little theatre with an insanely talented troupe that lies in the heart of the basement of La Val’s, and yes sir, did I go and I had an awesome time.
Image: ImipolexG, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
The theatre was small and cozy as one might expect from theatre lying underneath a pizza parlor, but it was actually the perfect setting for this off-beat beauty of a play. It created a very intimate atmosphere that allowed the four talented actors (Miyaka Cochrane, Julie Douglas, Maria Giere Marquis, Jon Nagel) to shine with their incredible energy and wit to keep the small crowd entertained. There was a lot of running, costume changes, sound effects, and most importantly, a lot of laughs that made this play a must see here in Berkeley. Their physical comedy and style was more than enough to keep Shakespearean vernacular entertaining and fresh as it allowed the audience to experience this play in a whole utterly different, quirky perspective. The Looney Tunes spin on the play included the usual offbeat gags and overused violence (when you think about it Looney Tunes was insanely violent, I mean how many times and ways did Wile E. Coyote die in a span of one episode), and it was as weird and charmingly adorable as you might think it would be. The appearance of a mini Darth Vader is worth the price of admission alone.
Impact Theatre is celebrating 20 years after being formed in 1996, and it has proved to be a great platform for these kind of experimental plays for so many years. It is disheartening to hear that the theatre is due to suspend production at the end of the season in June considering I just discovered it. BUT, you should all definitely go out and see “The Comedy of Errors” directed by Melissa Hillman before it concludes because ya’ll will miss out on some of Berkeley’s live theatre at its best if you don’t go. The show runs through April 2nd, so it’s a great chance for you to experience this wonderful little theatre if you’re still in town for Spring Break. Tickets with a student ID are just $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Go see it now!!
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