The Epstein Theatre sits on the corner of Hanover Street. With just a door out to the road, you could be forgiven as a visitor for walking right past. However, behind those dark wooden doors the Epstein holds a beautiful secret: a world of theatre missed by so many.
Daniel Taylor has brought many a production to the city, but it is his version of Macbeth that has solidified him on my map of this city. Macbeth is a play that many have read or even studied, but Taylor delves deeper. This show was an in-depth understanding of the mental effects of war and bloodshed on the human mind. Each character was a three dimensional human ready to understand and empathise with; right from Macbeth himself (Sean Jones) to Malcolm (Timothy Lucas).
There was not a dull moment within the show; from the moment the curtains opened we were thrust into Scotland during the aftermath of a civil war. The space is transformed and before you could count your breath there were men and women coming down the aisles. This was not the last time that the cast made full use of the production space that is the Epstein Theatre. Throughout the play the audience were turning and peering to see when characters might again pop up out of the aisles. The lighting worked wonders in this sense, and Daniel Taylor truly worked miracles through the use of a simple stage light to increase the presence and keep us in the world of Macbeth and his kin. The theatre was made to feel intimate and haunting: the witches were kept behind a veil from the start and the sounds of thunder and lightning greeted the audience upon entry, as well as the foggy dense air through the use of haze.
Jones was a desperate and delicate Macbeth, while Tracy Spencer Jones brought a cruel and terrifying air to Lady Macbeth. This dynamic from the two actors was truly something to behold, and even I found myself a little scared of Lady Macbeth before the end. Together they kept the performance on its toes, and there was not a moment that didn’t entertain. Warwick Evans does quite the same with his portrayal of King Duncan, and in the moments that both Evans and Jones were together on stage, it felt as though we the audience were standing in the middle of two titans.
The true climax of the show came in the form of the use of physical drama. Macbeth is a physically strong play, and the use of stage combat cannot be ignored. The cast and production team have truly risen to this and each one of the scenes and fights had me worried that someone might genuinely find themselves hurt because of a metal broadsword.
Macbeth only graces our fair city for a short nine day run, but with tickets as affordable as these and in a theatre with such a history, there shouldn’t be any reason not to go!
Reviewer - Aidan Bungay
on - 8/3/19
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