★★★★

“This is a strong interpretation”

‘Macbeth’ isn’t the obvious choice for a summer open air tour. ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ or ‘Twelfth Night’ are a safer bet. Or even ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Mind you, The Duke’s Theatre Company have done all those in previous years. So, this year they have taken on the foreboding ‘Scottish Play’ that explores the dark side of ambition and power. Visiting stately homes, castles and gardens – including a spell at Cornwall’s famous Minack – it takes brief shelter under the rafters of Wilton’s Music Hall, where it seems perfectly at home, played out against the flaking walls of the venue. It is hard to imagine it beneath picturesque backdrops and sunsets. Ruth Harvey’s atmospheric lighting, with its blood reds, silhouettes, shadows and smoke, belong in the darkness way beyond sundown.

Jessica Curtis’ set places the action on three blackened platforms, precariously held together by scaffolding poles, painted red with scorched tips. Swirls of dry ice create a wasteland, barren and metallic, with little hope of new life flowering between the cracks. We are in Scotland, but we could be in T S Eliot’s world of ‘The Hollow Men’, or any contemporary strip of land torn apart by tyranny. ‘The Scottish Play’, although over four hundred years old now, still resonates with its themes of unfiltered ambition coupled with self-serving disregard for others. A story of self-obsessed decisions in the pursuit of total power. But also, a prophecy – a warning almost.

Some of the message is lost, however, inside the hall’s difficult acoustics. And nearly every word from the three witches is drowned in its pool of effects and reverb, the essence of which needs filling in with our familiarity with the text. Finnbar Hayman’s Macbeth has no problem, though, with his imposing presence. We first see him and Banquo (Edmund Morris) as they claim the stage, dressed in black like riot police. His readiness to believe the witches’ prophecies hints at an unhinged personality beneath his steely exterior, and Hayman plays on this with an originality that sheds new light on his relationship with his wife. Marilyn Nnadebe truly makes Lady Macbeth the villain of the piece – cool and striking but barely hiding layers of menace. The pair’s chemistry is fraught with sexual tension as her increasingly murderous demands send Macbeth into a powerless, almost erotic, frenzy. It is clear who wears the trousers here.

It is a strong, often multi-rolling, cast that deftly reveals the hierarchy of the period. You wouldn’t want to mess with Alasdair James McLaughlin’s dangerous Macduff, yet at the same time you are convinced by his displays of grief. William Marr is equally convincing as Malcolm; initially weak but eventually claiming his rightful place with triumph and a surprising ferocity. Jenni Walker is in fine form in a series of minor roles until she has her moment as the ill-fated Lady Macduff. James Lavender, killed off early as King Duncan, returns as a hilarious and spell binding Porter – the only time the fourth wall is broken as he treats the audience to some much-needed comic relief.

Director Robert Shaw Cameron propels the action with slick scene transitions that often overlap, unravelling the story as briskly as the collapse of Macbeth’s sanity. Rob Millett’s percussive, regimental soundtrack casts ominous threats of violence that march off into the shadows. We get a sense of the expanse of the Scottish Highlands but also the claustrophobia, especially when the scaffolding poles morph into Birnam Wood, like prison bars closing in on Macbeth’s fate. The production can boast high energy, although it often relies on a shoutiness that could do with being reined in. This is a strong interpretation of “Macbeth”. A bold choice for the company that pays off at Wilton’s Music Hall. Let’s hope it can win over the picnicking, sun-drenched audiences scattered around England’s gardens (although, typically, the rain is falling thick and fast now as I am writing this).

A MIDSUMMER NIGHTMARE!

Keats House

★★★★

“a richly atmospheric experience that is at times unsettling, at times hilarious, and always captivating”

A Midsummer Nightmare!, presented by Midnight Circle Productions and helmed by visionary director Cecilie Fray, is a bold, genre-defying reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic. Produced by the Broadway World award-winning company, this hauntingly beautiful adaptation captures both the chaos and charm of the original while plunging it into darker, more dreamlike depths.

From the moment the audience enters the performance space, it’s clear this is not traditional theatre. Each venue on the company’s tour is transformed into an enchanted garden, drawing you into an immersive, almost interactive environment. With flickering lanterns, creeping fog, and a soft midsummer breeze, the setting evokes something between a dream and a gothic fairytale. If you look closely enough, or maybe just believe hard enough, you might catch a fairy slipping between the trees.

The production leans heavily into the surreal and eerie qualities of the play, amplifying the sense of mischief, confusion, and illusion that has always been at its heart. This isn’t just a “Midsummer Night’s Dream” with a twist, it’s a full-on nightmare, but one that retains the warmth and wit of Shakespeare’s writing. The result is a richly atmospheric experience that is at times unsettling, at times hilarious, and always captivating.

One of the most impressive elements of the production is the cast’s dual role as both performers and musicians. Every actor on stage contributes not just to the storytelling but also to the show’s live soundscape, through haunting harmonies, folk-inspired instrumentation, and ambient vocalizations. This creates a constantly shifting sonic world that mirrors the instability of the enchanted forest and the characters’ emotional turmoil.

Standout performances abound. Nadia Lamin brings a touching vulnerability and fierce comic energy to Helena, whose desperate love for Demetrius, played with arrogance and occasional softness by Charlie Macrae-Tod, anchors some of the play’s most painfully funny scenes. Their chemistry adds fresh depth to one of the play’s most turbulent love stories.

Sam Bird is a magnetic presence as Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, the mischievous fairy who gleefully causes much of the chaos. His physicality, timing, and voice work bring an unpredictable edge to the role, while Chloe Orrock’s regal and brooding Oberon offers a powerful counterbalance. The decision to gender-swap the fairy king adds further intrigue to their dynamic.

Meanwhile, Titania, portrayed by Kennedy Jopson, exudes grace and quiet power, while her scenes with Bottom, played by Jed McLoughlin, are some of the show’s most bizarre and oddly tender moments. Their vocal performances in particular, lyrical, eerie, and emotionally charged, elevate the production’s dreamlike tone.

Costume and set design deserve special mention. Cloaked in earth tones, shadowy veils, and delicate lights, the aesthetic of the production embraces both decay and beauty. The forest feels alive, filled with secrets and whispers, while the actors’ costumes suggest they’ve wandered out of a folk horror film. The visuals, heighten the sense that this is a space out of time, where love, identity, and reality blur.

Despite its dark tone, the production doesn’t lose the play’s original humor. In fact, the comedic moments shine more brightly against the gothic backdrop, and the clever use of physical comedy and timing ensures the audience is constantly engaged, sometimes laughing, sometimes holding their breath.

If there’s one critique, it’s that the immersive elements might not work equally well in all venues, depending on the audience’s proximity to the action. However, this feels like a small price to pay for such an ambitious and original reimagining of a well-known classic.

In the end, A Midsummer Nightmare! is exactly what its title promises, a dream turned on its head. This production does not aim to comfort; it aims to enchant, unsettle, and surprise. With its stunning performances, innovative staging, and gothic flair, it invites us to rediscover Shakespeare not as a museum piece, but as a living, breathing spell of theatre.

MACBETH

Wilton’s Music Hall

★★★★

“This is a strong interpretation”

MACBETH

Wilton’s Music Hall then UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 29th July 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Lidia Crisafulli

Previously reviewed at this venue:

MACBETH

MACBETH

MACBETH

A MIDSUMMER NIGHTMARE!

Keats House

★★★★

“a richly atmospheric experience that is at times unsettling, at times hilarious, and always captivating”