MacBeth Rearisen
Nov. 15th, 2008 11:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shamoGreat.
Really really fantastically conceived project that had drive, pace, a smattering of irreverancy and a great deal of craft to it. Zombies. MacBeth. Together at last in a dark comic mash of the grotesque, death, gore, literacism and pentameter.
The play takes place immediately after the conclusion of Macbeth - with the dust still settling on Dunsinane castle, Macbeth's corpse strewn headless in the background. Until things start to happen. Stirrings, starts and jitters at first. And then... it begins. MacBeth brought back to life. Head re-fixed, ambition re-kindled and the truth of the witches prophecy come true...
The script rolled and cascaded along.. It was surprisingly convincing as Shakespeare, and replete with classicism, witticism, couplets and pentameter. Structurally the play also followed in the footsteps of the bard. There's even a 'play within a play' , a 'porter' figure and a random cripple thrown in for good measure. The play does murder Hamlet in places. You'll see what I mean if you see the show, it was one of my favourite moments. There's plenty of Shakespeare alluded to in this show. And plenty of classics too. Virgil even has a cameo...
Oh... And then there's the schlock. Oooooh the schlock. It was hilarious. Horror movie special effects, body organs and blood blood and more blood! The set was cryptesque, dark and bare. Very earthen tones across set and costumes. The other-worldliness and under-worldliness of the show came across very clearly. Reminded me of something from Tales of the Crypt keeper... But good. The characters were kitted up in suitable period garb - furs and linen. The odd characters that departed from this palette all did so for very clear reasons (Fleance was the prime example). The lighting was nice and eerie too. Special mention must also be made of the make up in this show. From the witches (one had 1 eye, one had a goatee) to Macbeth's gaping neck wound to Lady MacBeth's dirt covered visage. It was stunning, and highly detailed. And the blood. Did I mention the blood?
Very effective staging meant there were no dull moments here. Actors emerged from all corners, and scenes rolled into each other seamlessly, and the play didn't have any dead moments (pun intended), as we rolled from Shakespeare's Scotland into Night of the Living Dead - or something...
Oh, the ensemble were all great too. I won't mention stand outs because everyone was a stand out. Lots of effective doubling up from the bit parts, and very effective focus from the leads.
So yes. If you missed it the first couple of times around, see this play. It's in till November 23.
Really really fantastically conceived project that had drive, pace, a smattering of irreverancy and a great deal of craft to it. Zombies. MacBeth. Together at last in a dark comic mash of the grotesque, death, gore, literacism and pentameter.
The play takes place immediately after the conclusion of Macbeth - with the dust still settling on Dunsinane castle, Macbeth's corpse strewn headless in the background. Until things start to happen. Stirrings, starts and jitters at first. And then... it begins. MacBeth brought back to life. Head re-fixed, ambition re-kindled and the truth of the witches prophecy come true...
The script rolled and cascaded along.. It was surprisingly convincing as Shakespeare, and replete with classicism, witticism, couplets and pentameter. Structurally the play also followed in the footsteps of the bard. There's even a 'play within a play' , a 'porter' figure and a random cripple thrown in for good measure. The play does murder Hamlet in places. You'll see what I mean if you see the show, it was one of my favourite moments. There's plenty of Shakespeare alluded to in this show. And plenty of classics too. Virgil even has a cameo...
Oh... And then there's the schlock. Oooooh the schlock. It was hilarious. Horror movie special effects, body organs and blood blood and more blood! The set was cryptesque, dark and bare. Very earthen tones across set and costumes. The other-worldliness and under-worldliness of the show came across very clearly. Reminded me of something from Tales of the Crypt keeper... But good. The characters were kitted up in suitable period garb - furs and linen. The odd characters that departed from this palette all did so for very clear reasons (Fleance was the prime example). The lighting was nice and eerie too. Special mention must also be made of the make up in this show. From the witches (one had 1 eye, one had a goatee) to Macbeth's gaping neck wound to Lady MacBeth's dirt covered visage. It was stunning, and highly detailed. And the blood. Did I mention the blood?
Very effective staging meant there were no dull moments here. Actors emerged from all corners, and scenes rolled into each other seamlessly, and the play didn't have any dead moments (pun intended), as we rolled from Shakespeare's Scotland into Night of the Living Dead - or something...
Oh, the ensemble were all great too. I won't mention stand outs because everyone was a stand out. Lots of effective doubling up from the bit parts, and very effective focus from the leads.
So yes. If you missed it the first couple of times around, see this play. It's in till November 23.
