Cast of Macbeth on the Boston Common in Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s “Macbeth.” (Nile Scott Studios)
“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare. Directed by Steven Maler. Presented by Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. On the Boston Common, through August 6.
By Michele Markarian
As smoke ominously fills the stage set for Commonwealth Shakespeare’s rousing production of “Macbeth,” there’s a feeling of hushed anticipation over the significant crowd that’s gathered at the Common. Now in its 27th year of bringing free Shakespeare to Boston audiences, Commonwealth Shakespeare’s productions are accessible and riveting to witness. This year is no exception. With the text running on a screen beside the stage, the drama is easy to follow, should you need it.
‘Macbeth’ – Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by
Daniel Thomas Blackwell. Scenic Design: Zachary A. L. Stern. Lighting Design:
Erik Fox. Projection Design: Elizabeth Gove. Costume Design: Evelyn Quinn.
Music and Sound Design: Josh Garcia. Fight Director: Lauren Squier. Presented
by the Underlings Theatre Co April 5-13, 2019 at the Mosesian Center for the
Arts.
As I said to my friend as we left the venue, it’s just not
theater unless it ends with a severed head in a bag. On this, it would seem
that William Shakespeare and I are on the same page, at least when it comes to
his tragedies (though imagine how a severed head in a bag might liven up the
ending of The Comedy of Errors. Oh,
the possibilities!). You might find something strangely familiar in the air
when attending the Underlings Theatre Co.’s production of Macbeth. That’s by design. For their fifth (and sadly final in
Boston) production, the Underlings have found inspiration for their take on the
Bard’s story in a bevy of modern horror movies. There’s a dash of Evil Dead, a smattering of Paranormal Activity, and a whole lot of The Blair Witch Project. To lay my cards
on the table, I’ll say that Macbeth has
long been my favorite Shakespeare play, so the Underlings probably could have done
the show as a staged reading with scripts in hand and I’d have loved the show.
My own personal bias aside, though, I still think there’s a lot to recommend
this production of Macbeth, not least
of all a fantastic lead performance and handful of visuals that tap into the
eerie nature of the play.
Mauro Hantman as Macbeth and Julia Atwood as Lady Macbeth (Mark Turek photos)
Reviewed by Tony Annicone
Trinity Repertory Company’s current show in their 55th
season is the tale of “Macbeth”, by William Shakespeare,
about political ambition and how that ambition can destroy a person as well as
the multitude of people around them. “Macbeth” could have been
written about the times we are now living in about the cost of blind ambition
in our culture and how a sense of honor should triumph over that ambition. The
show is set in modern times with a DJ playing contemporary music and many
allusions to contemporary society. Macbeth is tempted by three
mysterious witches who place a curse on him and he is pushed by his wife
to overthrow King Duncan of Scotland. This act leads to a domino
effect of killing off Macbeth’s enemies as the show progresses, making it one
of Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragedies. Director Curt Columbus makes this
show accessible to contemporary audiences with his brilliant direction and
casting these roles perfectly. “Macbeth” definitely stands the test
of time with its story of absolute power corrupting absolutely. It’s a scary
comparison to current events that one would never have thought could happen
again, and the show wins a well-deserved standing ovation.
