Tag Archives: Macbeth

MACBETH

★★★★

In Cinemas

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MACBETH

In Cinemas

★★★★

“For Tennant’s performance alone, it is worth seeing this production”

After a critically acclaimed run at the Donmar Warehouse, Max Webster’s Macbeth is being brought to the screen. Filmed theatre is a tricky beast, on the one hand it provides accessibility and longevity, on the other it often struggles to capture the pin-drop intensity of being in the room. This film manages, mostly, to capture the magic. It’s a different experience but it’s still a sublime production.

Webster’s thoroughly modern and psychologically fraught show, pares back the theatricality and leaves us with a claustrophobic tale of untamed ambition and hubris.

We open on a close shot of a bowl of water. Blood drips into it, droplet by droplet. David Tennant as Macbeth, sits, wringing the blood from a cloth. The tight shot of his face allows us to see every ripple of anguish. For his performance, the film is worth it. He is tortured and conniving, witty and sensual, mad and ashamed. It is the kind of performance that defines a character. It’ll be referred to in textbooks of the future.

The design is sparse and monochromic. A bright white stage (designed by Rosanna Vize), actors in black (save Lady Macbeth in white) and a dark glass backdrop. Through this we see the larger cast, multi-roling into a chorus, who commentate and berate from the other side. The glass is interesting, it allows some chilling moments (a running child covered in blood, tree branches tickling the glass) but the brightness of the white stage is more effective. The film includes aerial shots, allowing us to see people lying on the stage, dancing on the stage, dying on the stage. This is a bonus of the film; it gives you a chance to view the piece from every angle.

In the stage play Webster had audience members wear headphones, with actors whispering in their ears to create a near immersive surround sound. This works in a cinema, and does make the audience feel more immersed, though it lacks the innovative punch of the original concept.

While it’s really Tennant’s show, the rest of the cast are very strong. Cush Jumbo as Lady Macbeth is a loving version, coming alive in her frustration and embarrassment at her husband’s unravelling. Their connection, and chemistry, gives a sexy heartbeat to the relationship. Jatinder Singh Randhawa as the Porter is hilarious, ad-libbing away and playing on the audience’s headphone wearing. Rona Morison as Lady Macduff is subtle and tragic. Noof Ousellam’s Macduff brings tears to the eyes in his quiet grief, definitely making him an actor to look out for.

The more theatrical moments don’t translate so well to screen, the visit from the witches fails to stir the necessary fearfulness. The show chooses the psychological over the magical, which works, but means when it strays into prophecy it feels incongruous. Similarly, what gets noticed on screen is less forgiving. The costumes leave a little to be desired, for instance everyone is in patent leather Chelsea boots. Interestingly that’s something that would be easily ignored on stage, but is glaring on screen.

This has not entirely converted me to the wonders of filmed theatre, but it has definitely softened me towards it. While it is undoubtably not as good as being there, it is a close second. For Tennant’s performance alone, it is worth seeing this production.



MACBETH

In Cinemas from 5th February

Reviewed on 20th January 2025

by Auriol Reddaway

Photography by Marc Brenner

 

 

 


 

 

Previously reviewed at the Donmar Warehouse:

NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 | ★★★★★ | December 2024
SKELETON CREW | ★★★★ | July 2024
THE HUMAN BODY | ★★★ | February 2024
LOVE AND OTHER ACTS OF VIOLENCE | ★★★★ | October 2021

MACBETH

MACBETH

MACBETH

 

 

MACBETH

★★★

St Paul’s Church Covent Garden

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MACBETH at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden

★★★

“Shakespeare in the Squares have created a very fine storytelling of Macbeth”

Shakespeare in the Squares, well-known for its summer seasons of outdoor theatre, presents its first indoor Winter season performing at a selection of London churches. Director Sioned Jones writes in her programme note that churches bear similarities to castles in their stone walls and echoes. Certainly, that combined with the high ceiling of the Actors’ Church provides a difficult ringing acoustic, more curse than atmosphere, for this team of actors to deal with. Otherwise, the brightness and warmth of this church are a far cry from a dark and dank Scottish castle.

This is a pared-back Macbeth, performed by just five actors in a whistle-stop ninety minutes. The production has been designed to tour and it looks like it. All the action takes place in a straight line centre stage in front of a props table. There’s only a little movement bar entries and exits and no use at all of any of the church nooks or wider spaces. Costumes are simple, with small additions or extractions as actors change characters, some in kilts and all with added tartan flourishes (Jida Akil designer).

The three witches in this production have become fortune tellers and their prophesies are read in the cards and from tea leaves. The actors don headscarves and there’s a nice moment when Molloy Walker begins her next scene in the Macbeth household still wearing her scarf, hastily hiding it away. We see that the secret of the witches is more mundane than ethereal. The other two actors ham these scenes up perhaps more than strictly necessary and both Sam D’Leon and Mohab Kaddah seem happier in their comic roles than when in the royal house as Duncan and Malcolm. D’Leon excels as first murderer, relishing the bloodthirstiness, but his MacDuff lacks the necessary nuances. There simply isn’t the time for them to be found. Molly Walker shines in all her supporting roles. Her Porter scene is excellent, making much of the knock knock joke routine with a touch of audience participation, and her diverse servants show character and depth despite their brevity.

Central to everything is, of course, Macbeth (Gavin Molloy) who is “likeable, relatable and funny as possible” according to the Director. It’s a long journey though from dependable war hero to murderous despot and Molloy’s performance is rather single faceted, his centre stage declamations unchanging despite Macbeth’s mind beginning to unravel. Each scene ends with his stamping exit down the central aisle following his closing rhyming couplet.

This production emphasises the fact that Macbeth is pushed into action by his ambitious wife and their touching early scenes together show them as a devoted couple. Cathy Walker is a dependable Lady Macbeth whose role has suffered less than the others in the adaptation. Her approach to Banquo, however, sees this important character more played as Wee Jimmie Krankie.

The play begins and ends with a jaunty song, entertainingly performed with clever lyrics containing some of Shakespeare’s lines. Other incidental music is limited but is performed to great effect in the final battle scene (Annemarie Lewis Thomas, composer and musical director). Commendable too is the film-like split screen direction of this scene and some fine fleet footwork shown by D’Leon and Molloy.

Shakespeare in the Squares have created a very fine storytelling of Macbeth, the adaptation keeps the tale moving and the skills of the multirole playing actors provide aural variation. The brevity of the adaptation, however, and its speedy delivery means subtleties are lost along with any hope of character development. The static nature of the direction means the performance is somewhat disappointing visually as is the directorial decision not to exploit the unique building into which the production has been brought.


MACBETH at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden then tour continues

Reviewed on 13th November 2024

by Phillip Money

Photography by James Millar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

THE GREAT GATSBY | ★★★ | August 2023

MACBETH

MACBETH

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