“Hell is murky!” This Shakespeare quote from MacBeth
couldn’t have rung more true in the world we had entered into. The setting of
the play: our present day society but after a horrific civil war.
MacBeth is the
Thane of Glamis. He receives a foretelling from three witches who prophesy he
will become Thane of Cawdor and King after this. After writing to his wife,
Lady MacBeth, she pushes him to grab the opportunity and take the throne. Lady
MacBeth persuades MacBeth to murder King Duncan in his sleep and frame the
guards for the crime.
The rest of the
story goes from bad to worse; and becomes darker and darker. It places an emphasis on the destructive physical
and emotional effects of political ambition on those who hunt for power for its
own sake. There is very little comedy and laughter in this
place.
Where were we? We had entered into a wasteland war zone, as
designed by Rae Smith. The bunkers were reminiscent of the set design of
National Theatre’s 2013 production of Othello. The sloping road was symbolic of
an unsettled and unhinged world. It affected the pacing of the actor’s
movements, when they ran, sprinted, and walked on it, to a dynamic effect. I think the poles, utilised for the witches to do pole
dancing on them, looked out of place though. The pole dancing felt forced into
the production too. Strips of torn cloth and camouflage materials were
suspended everywhere – this appeared to create a rough shape of a person who
had been hung.
Paul Pyant’s lighting design entirely complimented the set
design: establishing an atmosphere that was ice cold, cruel, and clinical. So
much so, I’m freezing just thinking about it. Even the fairy lights in the
scene when the camp celebrated, were colourless. One or two spotlights would
highlight the actor delivering a soliloquy now and then – marking that moment
to a dramatic effect.
A few scenes were interpreted differently in this production from what I had seen before. Without revealing too much, the servant who hands
MacbBeth’s letter to Lady MacBeth was more of a clown figure – providing some
light relief in a dark time. Also, the way Rufus Norris directed the “Out, out,
brief candle” scene was shockingly beautiful. This production was not afraid of
some blood and gore, and subtly disturbing imagery. The masked figures at the
start of act two were cleverly creepy.
Michael Nardone’s portrayal of MacBeth was unlike how I’d
seen him played before. This is a positive criticism. This MacBeth was not your
traditional, stereotypical King. He was like a regular, “working class” kind of
man. This meant his characterisation was relatable. The ideas of what it means
to be a man and the stigma around mental health particularly shone through. However,
this doesn’t mean to say he didn’t act like a leader or a king. That transition
was clearly marked. Kirsty Besterman, and her obsessive and fanatical depiction
of Lady MacBeth, was equally as brilliant as her co-star. They were both
dangerously addicted to power and status.
Something that was noteworthy was how Duncan wore a red suit
(foreshadowing what was to come) and later on MacBeth wore that same suit. The
costume designer was Moritz Junge. The delicate brooding and menacing music and
sound enhanced the impact of intense scenes. I love how you could feel the
vibrations of the design in the theatre. Orlando Gough and Paul Arditti did a
splendid job of fuelling the sombre atmosphere. For me, the performance of the fighting
could have sometimes been more punchy and clean-cut.
This version of Macbeth resonates in a time of suspicion,
paranoia, and fear. Shakespeare’s characters always have psychological and
emotional depth to them, which the actors bring to life and make them
identifiable to the audience. You are sucked in to this dusky and gloomy
theatrical world, you only escape when the house lights come up. This is a very
good production which makes Shakespeare interesting for everyone; young and
old.
Reviewer – Sam Lowe
on – 4/10/18
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