Macbeth is a tragedy by the English playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616; for its complex murder-packed storyline see eg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macbeth). This production uses characteristics of the venue - a historic church in London's East End - such as its balconies, altar and pulpit. It's a high-tech version. Witches wear miners' lights. Would-be king Macbeth orders opponent Banquo's murder on his mobile (cellphone); Lady Macduff's murder is repeated as on rewind. Lots of technical effects from lighting designer Simon Deary and sound designer Peter Warnock keep the action moving , and photo-projections from Douglas Pye illustrate the imagery. Silvia Grau's design is prominent, and works well with Matthew Jay-Lewis's physical-theatre-inspired direction - the production favours movement sequences, and a cavalier attitude towards the script.

It runs at 80 minutes, heavily edited, and starts by staging the play conventionally. In the second half the editing goes wild: cutting, repeating, changing, putting lines in other characters' mouths. This creates a new climax to the play - an extended dream-like sequence in which Lady Macbeth suffers her guilt. She takes the place of Macbeth in repeats of earlier scenes, speaking his lines, repeating her own movements from earlier scenes in reverse - trying to undo what she's done. It then snaps back on course to end with Macduff's swift execution of Macbeth.

At the start there's an amplified self-help-tape-style recording of text-extracts themed round ambition. Witches enter, and are seen to cause a miscarriage Lady Macbeth while she sleeps. Her wheeled-bed is whisked off, and the play begins. Nancy Wigglesworth, Helen Rose-Davidge, Angelina Reilly-Szostak play the witches energetically and in unison - used to best effect as they slowly roll towards the intrigued Macbeth and Banquo. Ian Keir Attard is believable and natural as Banquo; but his role, along with Edward Halsted's Duncan and Jamie Griffith-Jones's Macduff, is heavily cut. This frees the actors to play various anonymous lords, created from a combination of the other roles. Joanna Nevin gives a credible performance as Lady Macduff, in a homely scene well-staged in the church's entrance. Macduff Junior is played by the witches wielding a puppet. The family's murder - by a machine-gun-wielding Macbeth - is repeated 4 or 5 times, marking the performance’s departure from the conventional order of the text.

There's a feeling of eagerness to create an exciting and fresh take on a classic play. It's very contemporary but studded with incongruities all the way. Macbeth takes two spears to fight machinegun-armed Macduff; mobile-toting characters drink out of goblets; the sound of Macbeth's gunshot is the church bell. Occasionally the ambition of the vision overleaps the physical abilities of the actors - these don't seem to be trained physical theatre performers, and a choreographer or movement coach may have been useful. Matthew Jay-Lewis's direction overlooks the ability of the actors to create fresh excitement via characterisation and tone - these subtle facets are ignored for the more obvious and melodramatic. Jamie Martin's Macbeth and Tracy-Anne Liles's Lady Macbeth are stereotypes of the characters: sexy, giggly Lady Macbeth; bewildered, passive Macbeth. Both are clearly able actors - Jamie Martin delivers verse fluidly and Tracy- Anne Liles keeps up a highly energetic performance - but their performances are always at the top note, and lose the subtle inflections of doubt and humour that riddle the script. Some moments of simplicity work well. A blackout as Macbeth reels from Duncan's murder into the arms of Lady Macbeth evokes their isolation and dilemma. Lady Macbeth's polite struggle to disguise Macbeth's ranting in front of his guests shows up a sense of humour which could have been used more. There's a big vision for bold theatre, which could perhaps be fully achieved by applying the company's inventive flair to details and an actor-led performance.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Ian Keir Attard - Banquo. Jamie Griffith-Jones - Macduff / Lord. Edward Halsted - Duncan / Lord. Tracy-Anne Liles - Lady Macbeth. Jamie Martin - Macbeth. Joanna Nevin - Lady Macduff / Lennox. Angelina Reilly-Szostak - Witch. Helen Rose-Davidge - Witch. James White - (Voice Over) Macduff Junior. Rebecca White - (Voice Over) Baby Macbeth. Nancy Wigglesworth - Witch.

Company Credits: Writer - William Shakespeare (1564-1616). Director - Matthew Jay-Lewis. Designer - Silvia Grau. Lighting Designer - Simon Deary. Sound Designer - Peter Warnock. Technical Director - Robert Watson. Voice Coach - Nancy Wigglesworth. Stage Management - Philip Jones. Stage Management - Loz Tate. Photography / Projections - Douglas Pye. Producer - John White. Company - Big Space Productions.

END

(c) Vanessa Hammick 2009

reviewed February 2009 / Saint Leonard's Church, Shoreditch, London UK

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com