Macbeth Review

While the production of Macbeth at The Rose may have been experimental as a modern adaptation, some aspects of the play worked while others fell short. For these purposes, I would like to focus on aspects of the performance that worked for me as an audience member. Firstly, I wholly appreciated the stage effects, especially the lightning and dare I say, the music because they completed the eerie setting. Seeing Macbeth at The Globe and feeling unfulfilled with the lack of a darker, more macabre adaptation left me wanting something more than what I left with. The Rose provided these elements and exciting staging. In addition, sexuality was quite prevalent which added another layer of interest to the production.

From The Alchemist to Macbeth, the stage was truly transformed.  By taking The Rose’s size into consideration and virtually the entire use of the building made the production feel appropriately intimate, with some of the action taking place in the rear. These scenes particularly included those which did not directly involve Macbeth. The use of cell phones helped make this staging decision effective. Time and space was more clearly demonstrated for me in this production, as compared to The Globe’s adaptation. By providing a cast of only five, the use cell phones helped make this element of the play seem less monumental. For example, we are introduced to three distinct murderers in the text. This was not explicitly portrayed at The Rose. One would assume cutting such a vital element of the play would harm the text’s manifestation; however, I would argue against this. This inclusion proves Shakespeare’s Macbeth to be truly timeless, transcending the idea of space and time. Communicating through the use of cell phones conveyed the presence of the three murderers without us actually physically seeing them. For me, this added believability to the modern adaptation. Macbeth is clearly depicted as a powerful businessman who has means to carry out his wishes. This notion is highlighted with him not even having to meet the three murderers in person to obtain his wishes.

While Macbeth ordered Banquo dead, their exchanges and relationship were undoubtedly of interest to me. The play opened with the three witches, while cutting occurrences in Act 1, Scene 2. The scene that was skipped over presented King Duncan, Donalbain, Lennox, and a wounded captain, while picking up with Macbeth and Banquo. I’m not really sure as to the significance behind portraying Macbeth and Banquo as stumbling drunks, but after seeing the play in its entirety I’m going to point my finger towards comedic relief.  As I stated earlier, some aspects of the production worked while others did not. For me, Banquo taking photographs of Macbeth intoxicated on her camera phone did not translate as appropriate or conducive to the text. These actions seemed off to me, but I am assuming the company wanted to add comedic relief as well.

The first relationship concerning Macbeth that we are introduced to is his and Banquo’s. Whether elevated from the ale they were clearly drinking, it seemed as though a slight sexual tension between these two was being illuminated. However, aside from their staggering and slight touches in the beginning of the play, this was not explored any farther. Comparatively, I was surprised at the amount of sexuality in The Rose’s production. One scene that resonated with me comes from Act 1, Scene 5 where upon waiting for her husband, Lady Macbeth declares “you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full Of direst cruelty”.  The hooded figure, to which I attributed to representing darkness and evil, quite literally spreads Lady Macbeth’s legs and sensually moves around her. I thought the entire act simulated sex between Lady Macbeth and the darkness. In the text, Lady Macbeth wants to be removed of her femininity because to be female is to be on the gentle and side of the gender binary. In order to continue with her plan to execute the king, she must be anything but weak. This expression did not show through during the performance, but conversely it seemed like Lady Macbeth was asking to be consummated. From this, I took away the idea that to engage in sexual or sensual relations with the darkness would also fill her up with this same evil necessary to complete her intended deed.

The color scheme prompted by the staging added to the theme of sexuality as well. Everything was shown as monochromatic apart from the curtain, the sheet, and Lady Macbeth’s dress. I associate the color red with lust, so these objects reflected this same idea of lust as well. The red curtain closed off Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s living quarters, thus enclosing it as an intimate haven. The sheet represented a bed, which obviously holds sexual associations. Finally, Lady Macbeth dressed in red made her an object of lust especially for Macbeth. Their sexually charged chemistry was undoubtedly overt, which is something I did not pick up on at The Globe either.

As a whole, the aspects that made the most impact from the performance on me as an audience member were staging aspects, relationships among some of the cast members, and the theme of sexuality.