Ghost Songs (Independent Shakespeare Company's 2026 Production) Theatre Review

The Independent Shakespeare Company is known for its excellent outdoor productions of plays by William Shakespeare, which it puts on every summer in Griffith Park. But it also has an indoor theatre where the company is active the rest of the year. And in this space they often go beyond the works of the bard, though sometimes offering productions that are in some way related to his plays. Such is the case with the company's phenomenal new original work, Ghost Songs, a musical that takes place approximately three decades after Shakespeare's death, during the dark time of the English civil war, when the theatres were ordered to close. Written by Independent Shakespeare Company co-founder David Melville, this play explores themes of censorship, artistic expression and the transformative power of a good story. This debut production stars Jennifer Hardy as Catherine (or Cat, as she is called fondly by Agnes), and Christie Coran as Agnes, housemaid to Cat's family. David Melville himself plays several roles, including an illiterate servant, Cat's father, and a man who, as a boy, played the women's parts on the stage. This production is directed by Leonora Pitts.

As the play begins, Agnes and Cat are staring at a trunk that is decorated with images of naked people. Cat, who is young and inexperienced and indoctrinated into her father's religion, is mostly horrified, though also mesmerized, by what she sees. Agnes, who has recently returned to England from Massachusetts after the death of her husband, identifies some of the images as coming from mythology, including Pyramus and Thisbe (a tale familiar to Shakespeare fans, for its delightfully awkward enactment in A Midsummer Night's Dream). A letter from her father reveals that this trunk contains "vulgar items" and is to be kept out of sight, with instructions for the images to be whitewashed. When Agnes takes the paintbrush across the images, we in the audience can't help but react with revulsion at this destruction of art. But Cat, at this moment, thinks it's right, and worries that she is damned for even briefly viewing the scenes depicted on the trunk. Apparently her only reading material thus far has been the Bible, which she takes as truth, and doesn't understand the concept of making up stories to entertain and enlighten. So when the trunk is opened and pages come tumbling out, she is understandably fascinated.

Very few plays from Shakespeare's time have survived in manuscript form. Many were likely lost to fire, first when the Globe burned down in 1613, and then later during the Great Fire of London. But this play offers other likely reasons why so few manuscripts still exist. Since the theatres were closed and plays were considered vulgar, it certainly seems possible that those with religious fervor would take it upon themselves to gather up these documents and dispose of them. Also, paper was scarce during the war and had other uses, as mentioned, to both our great horror and amusement, in this play. "Do you think this is all that is left?" Cat asks, looking into the trunk. The rescue of these manuscripts becomes important to those of us in the audience even before it does to the characters, for we know something of what was lost. But interestingly we learn more as the play goes on, for the titles of the manuscripts found in the trunk are of actual plays that no longer exist. The first one mentioned, taken by Nathan for use as paper for the latrine, is Love's Labour's Won. For those unfamiliar with the title, it is a play mentioned by Francis Meres in 1598 in his list of Shakespeare's plays. Whether it is a lost play or an alternative title to an existing work, we don't know. The others mentioned might be even less known, but they come from the list that Philip Henslowe kept. And we can only guess what those plays might be about. Our imaginations are certainly fired when hearing these titles uttered by Agnes and Cat.

Manuscripts are not the only items discovered within the trunk. There are also stage props, including a skull (chapless, of course), a dagger and a crown. The crown is placed by Agnes on Cat's head, as the two face downstage. There are several wonderful moments like that, when the two are pretending to be on a stage while actually being on a stage before an audience. And that is something that Shakespeare would certainly have appreciated. There is also something of a vicarious thrill for those in the audience who wish we could find such a trunk. Can you imagine? Apart from the props and the manuscripts which have been lost to us, Cat and Agnes discover manuscripts to some of Shakespeare's known plays, including The Two Gentlemen Of Verona and Romeo And Juliet. Cat remarks, upon reading The Two Gentlemen Of Verona, that it is easier to read than the other manuscripts for it isn't blotted like the rest (a delightful reference to Ben Jonson's line about Shakespeare). Certainly, the more you know about Shakespeare, the more you will love this play. But a familiarity with the works and life of William Shakespeare is not necessary to enjoy it, for its themes are not only universal, but especially relevant to today's dark landscape, when the arts and free expression are again threatened, when nationalism and religion are used to censor and silence voices.

Also, the songs in this production are excellent. Music plays an important role in many of Shakespeare's plays, especially the way this company approaches the works. A few years ago, the Independent Shakespeare Company turned The Comedy Of Errors into a musical titled Live At The Porpentine, featuring some wonderful original music by David Melville, and then brought that music into this summer's production of Comedy Of Errors. This company also gave us a disco version of A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2023. So these guys certainly know their way when it comes to music. And both Christie Coran and Jennifer Hardy can sing. Not only can they sing, but they are able to show character development within a song. One of the most enjoyable songs is "I Won't," a particularly funny number, especially when Cat sings "No, I won't" and Agnes responds, "Yes, you will." The "Marriott Must" song is also a total delight. And Christie Coran delivers a beautiful performance of the song "One Of These Days." David Melville, who is always a joy to watch, does a wonderful job on the song about when the play houses came down. His line "And I was once adored" reminds us of Sir Andrew's famous line from Twelfth Night. There is a funny moment when Cat thinks his song is over and asks a question, only to be shushed by Captain Clark, who then continues the song. The stage itself is a sort of wooden O, though on its side from the audience's perspective. The piano work, by the way, is by Dave Beukers, who is also the production's music director.

Jennifer Hardy and Christie Coran, who are both new to the company, deliver tremendous and captivating performances. Jennifer Hardy is adorable when reading lines from The Two Gentlemen Of Verona. And when they act out a bit of Romeo And Juliet, there is a nice moment when Agnes expresses hope that she's getting the lines right because there are multiple versions of a certain speech. Cat, at that point, has her (Juliet's) lines memorized. She has given herself completely to the theatre, to the joy of acting. It is like the two now inhabit a completely different world from that which we saw them at the beginning of the play. The transformation is particularly remarkable in Cat, and we have a great sense of the magic of theatre working upon her. She becomes caught up in the beauty of it, the poetry of it, the emotion of it, and is much livelier, much freer now that she's been reading the plays. Agnes, we sense, maintains a more serious disposition, as when she tells Cat that the world doesn't make space for Romeos and Juliets. And we understand something of where she's coming from when we learn a little more about her husband. But they both are determined to save the manuscripts, and to do so, they take a page from the plot of The Two Gentlemen Of Verona (and a few other Shakespeare plays) and disguise themselves as boys. They find help from some voices from the past. And while we know the outcome of their endeavor, we can't help but find ourselves cheering them on. After all, it's about more than saving those pages. It's about saving that spark within them. The message is to keep singing on.

This debut production of Ghost Songs runs through November 22, 2026. Visit the company's website for the complete schedule. There is one intermission. The theatre is located at 3191 Casitas Ave., Suite 130, in Los Angeles, California. There is a free parking lot next to the theatre, as well as plenty of street parking.

Shakespeare Reference in The Lime Pit

Jonathan Valin's novel The Lime Pit contains a reference to The Tempest. That reference comes on the very first page. Valin writes, "He was an interesting character, Mull - a kind of corn-belt Prospero who had tricked two realtors into parting with a large sum of cash" (p. 7). 

The Lime Pit was published in 1980. My copy was from the first Avon printing, May 1981.

Heartbreak House (Antaeus Theatre Company's 2026 Production) Theatre Review

Isn't it interesting that a play written a hundred years ago during very specific circumstances can speak so strongly to us and feel so relevant to our times? It does make one wonder whether humanity has progressed at all, or if it is even capable of it. George Bernard Shaw believed that progress was impossible without change. Have we changed at all in the last century? He wrote Heartbreak House during the Great War, the war to end all wars, a time when the world went a bit sideways. And though the play takes place during the war, the characters are all completely disconnected from it, unengaged, until the very end, and instead focus on their own internal struggles and relations. To our delight, George Bernard Shaw finds great humor in that, which makes the play thoroughly enjoyable as well as thought-provoking.

The Antaeus Theatre Company's new production of Heartbreak House, which had its official opening last night, features a strong cast, including Elinor Gunn as Ellie Dunn, Harry Groener as Captian Shotover, Henri Lubatti as Hector Hushabye, Jocelyn Towne as Hesione Hushabye, Carolyn Ratteray as Lady Utterword, Arye Gross as Mazzini Dunn, Bernard Addison as Boss Mangan, Alex Barlas as Randall Utterword, Amelia White as Nurse Guinness, and Alberto Isaac as the unexpected guest. It is directed by Nike Doukas, who directed the fun 2023 production of The Tempest (which featured the great Peter Van Norden as Prospero). As the performance begins, Ellie is asleep on the couch, a book on her lap, only to be wakened by Nurse Guinness. But it seems she is wakened into a dream, or perhaps a nightmare. She says that it has surprised her that no one seems to have expected her, to which Nurse Guinness replies, "You'll get used to it, miss." The line gets a big laugh, in part because of Amelia White's wonderful delivery, but it's also a bit frightening, this idea of being invited to a place where no one expects you to show up, or acknowledges that you have, and where you shouldn't expect that to change. This production does a splendid job of establishing that sort of atmosphere. The lighting in the opening moments before Nurse Guinness' entrance, is one of shadows, like we are drifting into night. That twilight area, where most such nightmares and strangeness occur. The lighting design, by the way, is by Karyn D. Lawrence, and the scenic designer is Angela Balogh Calin.

The house itself is likened to a ship. Early on, Captain Shotover mentions how Ellie has been "deposited in the poop," At hearing that, Ellie glances around, as if to see what precisely he means. This adds to both the humor and the nightmarish vibe, having one's surrounding described in ways that make little sense to that person but are perfectly clear to everyone else, so that reality itself is questioned. Elinor Gunn (who was fantastic as Imogen in last year's production of Cymbeline) does a remarkable job as Ellie. And as outsiders too, we in the audience quickly relate to her, quickly align ourselves with her. Interestingly, when Lady Utterword, the captain's other daughter, arrives, she finds herself treated in a way similar to Ellie, with no one to welcome her, no one expecting her. And yet she says it is just the same as it was two decades ago when she left. That also adds to the peculiar vibe of the place, and fits in with the idea of progress being impossible without change. On her "grow old, like other people," Lady Utterword tries to take her father's arm, to show they are in the same boat, so to speak, but isn't quite successful, a really nice touch. And as in a nightmare, one's identity is under question. Lady Utterword is not recognized at first, or at least is not acknowledged as herself. And Mazzini Dunn is taken to be a pirate and thief and murderer named Billy Dunn. "I hope nobody here believes that I am a thief, a pirate or a murderer," he says at one point. It's just not a matter of being secure in one's own identity, but having it acknowledged, validated by others.

Hesione Hushabye, upon entering, is a delightful ball of energy, immediately recognizing and embracing her friend Ellie but not her own sister. Both Elinor Gunn and Jocelyn Towne are wonderful as they talk about Ellie's father and poverty. The book that Ellie was reading when she fell asleep turns out to be Othello, and so there is a discussion of jealousy, with Ellie opining that it must have been a wonderful experience for Desdemona to be with a man of adventures. Hesione offers that Othello was telling Desdemona lies, dishonesty being another important element in this story, with most of the characters engaging in one form of dishonesty or another. And around that time, Ellie admits that she is love with a man other than the one she's to marry. And interestingly, that man is full of lies himself, grand stories without truth in them. Even his name is a lie. To Ellie, he is known as Marcus Darnley. To Hesione, who is the man's wife, he is known as Hector. When Hector enters, the delivery of his line "I had no idea you knew my wife" is hilarious. And regarding the ability to love a liar, Hesione offers this nugget: "Otherwise there wouldn't be much love in the world." That line receives a great laugh. This scene, and nearly the entire play, provides continual laughter, but within that laughter and within those lines are some serious troubles. 

During that discussion, Ellie suddenly blurts out, "There is something odd about this house." As I mentioned earlier, there is a dream-like quality to the play. Several characters at various times express a desire, even an intention, to leave the house, but not one does. Perhaps no one is able to, not even Mangan, who boasts that he is the sort of man who follows through on everything he sets out to do. The house is described as a boat, presumably controlled by Captain Shotover, but he walks in and out of the main room so often that we can't be sure. And the house itself seems to represent the country of England. Who is in control? Where is it heading? At one point, Hector says, "This soul's prison we call England," and again we think of Shakespeare, that line reminding us of Hamlet's declaration that "Denmark's a prison." And the line seems to make perfect sense, the house being a place that no one has been able to leave. In fact, there is an eerie feeling that the only way out might be through the dynamite that Captain Shotover stores. It is Hector who explains what it is for: "To blow up the human race if it goes too far." Again, it is a humorous line, and Henri Lubatti does a delightful job with it, but the human race certain did go too far during World War I. And so the play's lines about how life-saving devices won't bring in the kind of money that would an invention to wipe out half the population stand out to us. These lines and the presence of dynamite lead us to expect some violence before the end. 

The entire cast is strong, everyone shining in different moments. Bernard Addison, for example, is especially good as Boss Mangan when explaining why he is not kind-hearted. It is the character you'd expect to be the least human, and so when he ends up being all too human, he is riveting. And Arye Gross is excellent when defending Mangan and when speaking of the strength of his daughter. It is in him that we see the most genuine affection and warmth. And there is a funny moment when he thinks he may have killed the instruder, funny after all his earlier insistence that he is not a murderer (but he was right; he isn't). And the intruder, played by Alberto Isaac, brings a different kind of humor to the house, a thief whose plan is to not really steal anything but to get caught. He is particularly good in his interactions with Nurse Guinness. Perhaps the most delightful performance is by Carolyn Ratteray as Lady Utterword, and she is especially magnificent in the scene where she manages Randall. I bet I missed some lines because of all the laughter of the audience. Alex Barlas, who did a wonderful job as Jim O' Connor in last year's production of The Glass Menagerie, is also quite funny in his "handling" scene. And at the center and heart of the piece is Harry Groener as Captain Shotever. Early on, he provides most of the humor, with a delightfully straight delivery of some biting and hilarious lines. And as the play goes on, he is the person Ellie turns to for advice. And thus so do we in the audience. We are drawn to him, in part because of Harry Groener's performance, even while we question his judgment, acknowledging, for example, the sad cynicism of his line "One rock is as good as another to be wrecked on." And also the truth of it. 

This production of Heartbreak House runs through November 16, 2026. Visit the company's website for the complete schedule. There is one intermission. The theatre is located at 110 East Broadway in Glendale, California.