It seems to be a trend of late to take well-known stories and shift the narrative to one of the other characters in that world or perhaps take fragments unexplained and fill them, usually to great success.
Take ‘Wicked’ for example- no longer about Dorothy, but told from the heartache of being different as a green witch; or ‘&Juliet’, what if she didn’t kill herself for her first love and instead had taken time to discover herself? Even to a certain extent- ‘SIX’, telling the lives of history from the viewpoints of Henry the 8ths six wives.
Here in the Malthouse Theatre’s newest production: ‘Macbeth ( An Undoing)’, playwright Zinne Harris has aimed to play with those ideals, taken the much-known and loved Scottish play, and endeavoured to get the audience to examine it through an alternate lens. Was it, as told, Lady Macbeth who had trouble sleeping and guilty, or was it really Macbeth himself? Was it perhaps the woman behind the man, hungry for power, that led to the downfall and even the one who killed Macbeth?
Reimagined versions of Shakespeare are not uncommon. There have been gender and colour-blind casting, set in modern times, simplified versions, mounted productions in the future, and more. Typically, there is something to say about taking a classic piece and making it speak to a current audience. It’s an interesting premise that “you have only heard half of the story”, although this may not work for those unfamiliar with the play. For those who know the story well, fragments of well-known moments are hinted at, then quickly removed, leaving one sometimes wondering where and what is happening.
For me, the star of the show and what holds the peace all together is the incredible set by Dann Barber. A revolving set that feels like it has endless rooms, between each rotation, by what can only be described as magic, when previously viewed sides return into view only to be completely re-imagined with unseen doors, blood-splattered walls, falling snow, and crows. Crows galore. Ever watching, looking down on the mess and greed of humankind and constantly revolving clockwise as the actors pace from scene to scene and highlighting the “undoing” by using those moments of madness to cycle the stage anticlockwise.
Amelia Lever-Davidson’s lighting is brilliantly moody and takes the small cramped, though imposing spaces of Barbers set, and miraculously fills them without leaking into the next rooms or spilling out onto unwanted spaces. The constant lurking sound of birds flying above and a hum of ever-present doom is faultlessly executed by Sound designer and composer Jethro Woodward.
There is a lot to appreciate. In a time when cash is tight, and streaming is the go, it takes courage and a leap of faith to try something new, and it is undoubtedly a great way to get people out to the theatre. Overall, the play didn’t quite work for me, but other people I spoke to loved it, and there were even people who felt a standing ovation was in order.
I do consider MacBeth (An Undoing) worth seeing. Great theatre should have you talking, questioning, arguing, and thinking about it days later. So I can only say, go and see it, and decide for yourself. Show your support for new ideas and works and grab your tickets to Macbeth (An Undoing), which runs through July 28th, with sessions running Tuesday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.
Photographer: Jeff Busby
