Jack Studio Theatre 4 – 22 April. Reviewed by Claire Roderick
My first experience of Macbeth was a little soggy – sat in the front row and showered with spit from the witches as they pranced around in chiffony rags in a very twee 1980s production. Walking into the Jack Studio and seeing the voile drapes around the stage with the cast dancing behind them gave me worrying flashbacks, so I rushed to the back row. Thankfully, the material (used expertly to create intimacy and mystery) was the only similarity between the productions. The AC Group’s new production is classy and claustrophobic, with some outstanding performances.
Macbeth has always been a staple of school Shakespeare, because it is, for Shakespeare, so short, and the youngsters in the audience were suitably rapt – although one lad was a little put out at the lack of blood and violence. For a play with so many murders and a final climactic battle, director Thomas Atwood has made the brave decision to minimalise the gore – fights are over in an instant, and there are no actual weapons on stage when Macbeth faces his nemesis Macduff – instead using symbolic blood stained cloth to literally bind the men in battle. This may have disappointed the more bloodthirsty audience members, but was wholly satisfying for me as it focussed all the attention onto the words spoken, and the cast’s stunning delivery. The moments of interpretative dance, full of breathy noise, worked well building tension and the cast’s instrumental skills were excellent, providing depth to Malcolm’s final speech, which usually seems unnecessary.
With a mostly female cast playing multiple roles, and only the addition of jackets to delineate the roles, it did take a few moments to figure out who exactly was on stage at times, but the committed cast’s nuanced performances made it clearer as the play progressed. The witches (Kate Barry, Gabrielle Nellis-Pain and Nell Hardy) were weird and twisted sisters, full of animalistic noises and movement that was truly uncomfortable to watch at times. Hardy’s portrayal of Macduff was phenomenal – so full of bluster and pride at first, and heart-breaking on hearing of the massacre of his family. Amelia Clay was a convincing Lady Macbeth. At first her staccato delivery jarred a little, but perfectly matched the brittle and fragile character she built. Her partnership with William Ross-Fawcett was wonderful, with them being the only cast members to use Scottish accents. The ambition and love the couple held for each other filled the room, and they complemented each other brilliantly. Ross-Fawcett makes for a strangely likeable Macbeth, at first looking like a long-lost member of the Weasley clan in a big woollen cardigan, but becoming a true warrior after his coronation. This is a seemingly flippant Macbeth, with serious manic tendencies. Ross-Fawcett’s energetic and passionate performance is worth the ticket price alone – a very thoughtful interpretation of a familiar character.
The AC Group’s Macbeth is a beautifully crafted and atmospheric production, full of power and passion, and a fantastic introduction to Shakespeare.