Outrageous Fortune is the latest play in development by Debs Newbold whose previous works include King Lear Retold and Lost in Blue. The night began with friendly informality led by Newbold as she explained the purpose of the evening’s performance. Currently the play is in development; a work in progress, due to go on tour in March next year. We were the privileged few to see the early stages of her epic one woman show.
Outrageous Fortune reminds me of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead in the sense that the two plays focus on what you didn’t see in Hamlet; the behind the scenes footage, so to speak. The play centres on Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude and we’re introduced to her in purgatory. Here, Gertrude shares her memories of being married to a king twice, with both experiences proving wildly contrasting, her cherished friendship with Ophelia and the troubled love she experienced with her son. Through these revelations Gertrude would find freedom within the confines of monotony (a mandatory obligation of purgatory) and discover an inner strength long residing within her, yet for so long supressed.
Along the way we would be introduced to her humorous friend Joan of Arc, the martyr turned expert pastry chef, who served as a unique emotional mirror to Gertrude’s turmoil as, together, they managed their nether-world berth as best as they could.
Newbold was accompanied by a musician; a percussionist who played an intuitive score alongside the performance. The choice to use live music and sounds in this way was a smart one. It complimented the emotional journey of the story, making the experience all the more visceral.
At this stage, the production certainly still needs work. At ninety minutes, the piece felt far too long. It was the wonderful, musical asset that managed to keep the energy, somewhat, buoyant throughout. The interconnecting narratives, told by Gertrude, to create her backstory felt disorganised and lengthy as they jumped from one to the other, all the while trying to relate back to the original Hamlet in order to create the integral link to her being in purgatory.
However, despite these issues, the concept of this play is unique and clever. I have no doubt that they will iron out any problems as they continue to develop and experiment with the story. Definitely keep an eye out for this play next year. It will be Gertrude as you’ve never seen her before.
“Postlethwaite commands as Macbeth. He is every inch the rugged soldier and he compellingly takes us through the light and shade of Macbeth’s personality”
The Watermill Theatre in Bagnor near Newbury is without doubt one of the most beautifully located theatres that there is. The auditorium seats just 200 people and the fixtures of a once working mill make it utterly charming and unique. It prides itself on its in-house productions providing an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary pieces.
Macbeth has been a very present work in the last year, with both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre giving us updated productions. Traditionally, Macbeth, a brave Scottish General, is visited by a trio of witches who prophesise that he will become King of Scotland. His ambition, and that of his wife, spurs him to murder King Duncan and take the throne. A continuity of control and ruthless violence create their eventual demise as they are consumed by guilt and paranoia.
Artistic Director, Paul Hart has tried to bring some original elements to this production. Sometimes it works and sometimes it falls short. The set (Katie Lias) is simple and relies heavily on lighting to create the necessary tone of the piece. Lighting Designer Tom White succeeds to an extent. Duncan’s murder is one of the most compelling moments in the production and this is largely down to the staging and lighting which create a sinister and shocking scene. It also worked very well at the close as we saw the blood falling down the wall as it fell from Malcom’s crown. However, throughout the rest of the production it was less effective and uninteresting.
Billy Postlethwaite commands as Macbeth. He is every inch the rugged soldier and he compellingly takes us through the light and shade of Macbeth’s personality during the monologues and soliloquies. Lillie Flynn as Banquo is excellent although I was confused as to the relevance of the gender swapping of the character as it did not bring anything to the production. Emma McDonald as Lady Macbeth is rightly, unlikable and I felt no sympathy for the character. Her diction seemed over enunciated and the presentation felt forced. Eva Feiler as the Porter confused me and the performance was never quite humorous or creepy enough. The idea of this character as a bell hop could have been a genius one but it never reached its potential. The exclusion of the Wyrd Sisters was also a baffling choice.
The Watermill has been using the musical element of their productions as an integral part of their plays for some time. I have seen it work in previous productions to great effect but with Macbeth it seemed formulaic though the choreography by Movement Director, Tom Jackson Greaves was pleasant and effective. Shakespeare works best when kept fresh and relevant and sadly this production did not quite manage it.
