MACBETH till 21 July
MACBETH: William Shakespeare
RSC, Swan Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon
Tkts: www.rsc.org.uk / Tel: 0844 800 1110
Runs: 3h, one interval, till 21 July
Review: Rod Dungate, 5 July 2007
Energetic, passionate and very clever
This is a highly macho production. The men in Duncan’s court are tough, rough men of war, the production reeks of testosterone, its violence is centre stage. This all makes for a fast-paced exciting production; but its real success lies in director Conall Morrison’s original and clever concept for the play.
A short diversion . . . I was once working with a group of 11 year old primary students and a small group of girls asked me: What we want to know is do the witches prophesy what happens or do they make it happen? (Not bad for 11 year-olds, eh?) Morrison takes on this question, choosing the latter route – he even gives us a reason for the witches behaving like this.
Without giving too much away the witches are actively involved throughout in making things happen; cleverly Morrison both integrates the witches into the action and solves the problems of making the magic work. The dagger scene is a terrific example as the witches move the dagger around; in the banquet scene they take charge of Banquo, seating and re-seating him – even squeezing out a little dark humour. In a way, Macbeth’s tragedy comes about as a direct result, not of war, but of war crimes. Intriguing and satisfying. Sarah Malin, Mojisola Adebayo, Frances Ashman are the three women in question – they grab our attention all evening.
Patrick O’Kane creates an expressive Macbeth, and (within the context of this court) one driven by passion rather than machismo. Derbhle Crotty makes a superb Lady Macbeth – determined, tough, her face sometimes distorted by desire, anger, frustration. Here is a woman definitely not to get on the wrong side of.
David Troughton’s rough-hewn Duncan veritably smells of this war-like court and he provides an impressive double as weighty, military-man, Old Siward.
It’s a shame that, with both a dialect coach and voice work credited in the programme significant amounts of text become inaudible.
Duncan / Old Siward: David Troughton
Malcolm: Emmanuel Ighodaro
Donalbain: Ryan Gage
Macbeth: Patrick O’Kane
Banquo: Jude Akuwudike
Macduff: Brian Doherty
Lennox: Sam Cox
Ross: Sean Kearns
Menteith: Richard Atwill
Angus: Joel Trill
Caithness: Jason Nwoga
Fleance: Josh de Souza / Olujimi Oluwole
Seyton / Bleeding Captain: Mark Theodore
Young Macduff: Gus Gillespie / Asher Hardy
A Doctor: Thane Bettany
Lady Macbeth: Derbhle Crotty
Lady Macduff: Pauline Hutton
Three Witches: Sarah Malin, Mojisola Adebayo, Frances Ashman
Directed by: Conall Morrison
Set Designed by: Tom Piper
Costumes Designed by: Joan O’Clery
Lighting Designed by: Ben Ormerod
Music Composed by: Conor Linehan
Sound Designed by: Mike Compton
Movement by: Michael Ashcroft
Fights Directed by: Malcolm Ranson
Associate Director: Steve Marmion
Music Director: Bruce O’Neil
Dialect Work by: Jan Haydn Rowles
Company Voice Work by: Charmian Gradwell
Casting by: Sam Jones
Children’s Casting Director: Barbara Roberts
2007-06-07 12:50:22