I don't think I've ever been more excited about a specific production before. I wasn't able to get tickets when it played at the Donmar, so I fought the AGT Ticket war this year and was successful
in landing a pair! David Tennant was just as phenomenal in this role as you would expect, he was volatile, plagued, and powerful. This is easily one of my favorite productions of Macbeth I have ever seen.
Max Webster's direction was absolutely lovely. The use of the space was just magnificent, his usage of the glass rooms at the back of the stage was so clever and was perfectly complimented by designer Rosanna Vize. The final reveal of Birnam Wood adding some color to the bleak set was so stunning at the end. I also really appreciated the costuming choice of putting actors in kilts, and having everyone in black and grey except Lady M, who was in a striking all-white dress. Shelley Maxwell's choreography was highly expressionist and eerie, which added to the ambiance of the play. The dance in banquet scene upon Duncan's arrival was a lovely blend of traditional highland dance (based on my own personal experience) and contempoary story-driven moments. It was simply lovely. My favorite part was the 'double double toil and trouble' prophecy scene, where the company became possessed and ghostly entities to torment Macbeth. Bruno Poet's lighting design mixed with Maxwell's choreography created a transcendent moment, which I think will always be my favorite interpretation of the scene.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of this production was that the theatre had installed headphones on every seat for a 3D immersive soundscape. Gareth Fry's sound design was simply stunning. The immersive soundscape allowed them to play with the idea that we never see the witches, as if they might have been in Macbeth's head all along. My favorite part of the sound design was that it allowed for actors to whisper, and we could hear it clear as day. It really added to the intimacy of the text and made it a quite cinematic production, which I thought was a clever development. It was a marvel of sound design and technology, and it makes me really excited to see the future of sound design in theatre. One of my favorite parts of the production was the Celtic music by Alasdair Macrae, with an ensemble led by Kathleen MacInnes. It just created such a wonderfully tense and dark atmosphere, absolutely perfect for the production.
David Tennant was such perfect casting for this role, he's such a gifted actor, who is a Shakespeare genius. Tennant is a force both on stage and on screen, and the nature of this production played to both of these strengths. The 3D immersive soundscape allowed us to hear every whisper, breath, and clink of daggers, which created a deeply cinematic feel, while still living within the conventions of live theatre. His 'tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow' was EVERYTHING. I don't know if I have anything new to say about his performance, but I will say that I wouldn't be surprised if we see an Olivier nomination for him. Cush Jumbo as Lady Macbeth was powerful, concentrated, and calculated. Her chemistry with David Tennant was incredible, they truly embodied their roles. I loved her mad-scene, I thought it was so earnestly-played. I also wouldn't be surprised if she received an Olivier nomination as well.
I also want to shout out Jatinder Singh Randhawa's performance as the Porter. He really took that moment and ran with it, and I appreciate how successfully he blended his comedic improv-like contemporary references with the text. I was highly impressed.
Overall, I will forever be obsessed with this production. Do I wish there was a bit more blood? Of course! But I thought it was wonderfully true to the text and the performances were incredible. I really love what they did with the young boy during the final battle, it was moving and gave great insight into the depths of Macbeth's psyche and corruption. As a production, it's energy and design was exactly what I want in a good Macbeth. ALSO, it was right around the 2 hour mark total, with no interval! Love that! It's Shakespeare's shortest play, and I loved that they ran with that. I will continue to be fascinated with this production for a long time to come, and I plan on seeing it again when it comes to cinemas in a few months.
Rating: 5 stars
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