The Play: Macbeth (An Undoing) by Zinnie Harris
The Theatre: The Merlyn Theatre at the Malthouse
Stars: 4.5
Until: 28 July 2024
My weekend of Shakespeare boffinry started out well. Two of the Bard's best tragedies in two days. I call this bliss.
It was never meant to be like this. I was supposed to see this performance before I went to Darwin, but COVID saw me moving my ticket at a small cost.
The other thing that interested me about this was Zinnie Harris' adaptation of the Shakespeare. Harris is a bit of a Scottish living legend, and this work was inspired. It also had Johnny Carr playing Macbeth. He's a delight on stage, winning me over a number of years ago in the MTC's The Architect a few years back.
So, what's this all about? Well, Harris has reworked The Scottish play for a modern audience, keeping the integral structure, but using the characters a bit differently. Lady Macbeth (Bojana Novakovic) is the puppet master, trying to keep everything in Glamis Castle in order as people drop like flies around her. The Weird Sisters / Witches have a lot more to do. The main witch (Natasha Herbert) acted as a narrator/chorus to great effect. Lady MacDuff (Jessica Clarke) was having an affair with Banquo (Rashidi Edward) while her husband is out at war. You see, little tweaks and imagined scenes which put the fresh face on the classic play.
I was bowled over by Harris's reworking in that it had more of a female focus. 75% of the play was as Shakespeare wrote it, Harris has just moved things around and added a bit of commentary making what can be a dour play into a well-timed event, filled with comedy. With a lot of asides to the audience, some pithy changes yet with a reverence for the source material, you're onto a winner.
All of the performances were to notch. Bojana Novakovic's Lady Macbeth was nuanced and strong. Instead of the insomniac harpy she's often perceived as, she's the King Maker, and breaker to a lesser extent. The play also incorporates reasons the Macbeth's remained childless, her changing relationship with Lady MacDuff and the Scottish interest in witchcraft.
The set, a large castle in the middle of the stage, in the round, which could be moved from set to set. Great lighting and a few minor pyrotechnics made this a great experience. Matthew Lutton's direction is fast paced and exciting. See this little video for more of an insight.
This production came to an end today. I've very glad I was able to see it. Macbeth (An Undoing) was an absolute cracker.
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