The Improvised Shakespeare Company (ISC) began performing at the iO Theatre in 2005 in Chicago. From there, they quickly began to spread their creativity and performed at many other renowned theaters all over the world, such as Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and The Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles. The group has even been named “Chicago’s best improv group” by the Chicago Reader and the Chicago Examiner. This group is unique, as they are not just known for their impressive knowledge of Shakespeare, but also for their talented acting skills and ability to completely improvise a Shakespearean play. This company is intriguing to many as they are far from what one would expect upon seeing their performance.
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor had the privilege of welcoming the ISC to campus with help from Dr. Sean Benson, Frank W. Mayborn Chair of Arts and Sciences and Professor of English, who had first seen the group perform in Chicago in 2005 at the Shakespeare Association of America annual conference.
“My wife and I almost fell out of our seats laughing at their improv comedy, and I knew I wanted to see them again,” Benson said. Benson being a Shakespeare scholar attends the SAA consistently, which has allowed him to see this group perform many times and every time he is blown away by their performance.
Benson had decided he wanted to give the students of UMHB an opportunity to see this amazing group, so he contacted the group’s agent and discussed dates when the university could bring the group in for a performance. Dean Kathryn Fouse of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and Dean Stephen Baldridge of the College of Humanities also helped along this process by finalizing the dates and funding for this event, which was finally in motion by the spring of 2022.
The show took place on Oct. 13 and was nothing less than stellar. The group was made up of three of the ISC members and they each played about four different characters alone. They took an audience title suggestion at the beginning of their performance and completely improvised their play surrounding the title “Tacos or Bacon, Egg, and Cheese.”
From playing a jealous ex to a Duke, they showed how amazing these actors truly are and how fun Shakespeare can be.
“If you were fortunate enough to see the show on campus, how could anyone not like the ISC,” Benson said.
Most college students may find Shakespeare to be a painful read and lifeless at times. This group allowed for Shakespeare to truly be brought to life, especially when they danced to a completely improvised song about tacos.
“I imagine Shakespeare would be laughing along with us if he were in the audience last night,” Benson said. “Shakespeare has a reputation for being old and stuffy, but the ISC makes him accessible and shows what his language can do.”
It is safe to say the ISC was nothing but entertaining and allowed students to view Shakespeare in a whole new light.
“I didn’t notice a single person get up and leave early, and I’ve heard from students and faculty alike that they laughed so hard and so much that their cheeks actually hurt after the show,” Benson revealed. He has hopes of bringing this group back next fall, but this time with their 5-person troupe.
“If you thought it was funny and clever with only three performers last night, wait until they add two of their other actors to the fray,” Benson said.
If anyone who had attended the show would let the performing arts center know how they liked the group, there is a better chance of having this group return to make everyone laugh and enjoy Shakespeare once again.
