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Peer Reviews Macbeth By William Shakespeare Reviewed by Keith Waits Entire contents copyright © 2009, Keith Waits, all rights reserved.
Open-air theatre seems like a romantic idea. The idea of Shakespeare's verse enacted for free in an idyllic, natural setting on a warm early summer's eve sounds enticing, but the sounds of traffic on nearby streets, low-flying jets thundering overhead, and the occasional indifferent or inebriated patron given to loud, critical observations can prove to be a challenge for both the audience and the players. The opening night of Kentucky Shakespeare Festival's production of Macbeth managed to overcome such obstacles with a solid staging filled with intriguing design and the most creative use of the three witches I've ever seen. In fact, it is fair to say that these three witches "own" this version of the Scottish play, so completely do they dominate the proceedings. Director Pamela DiPasquale presents the trio of magic users not as conventionally drawn witches but as vivid and powerful puppet masters, present in many more scenes than the text would require. They slip in and off the stage with stealth and cunning, urging on the bloody deeds of the plot with wicked desire, even physically manipulating Macbeth and his Lady at times, seeming to move in unison with their actions, as if they are controlling all that occurs with supernatural force that humans cannot hope to overcome. It is a bold depiction of characters that are often rendered as clichés in many, less imaginative productions. Dressed in body-hugging black with mixed accessories including tartan plaid and metal, they are the most memorable feature of this Macbeth. The witches' look is characteristic of the well-conceived, "Goth"-tinged, design work consistently rendered throughout the costuming by Ms. DiPasquale and scenic design by Charles A. Nasby. Poles, crossbars and ladders are effectively placed and the blocking explores the full potential of these devices, filling the bi-level stage with movement. An opening through the center exposes the grand old tree that has stood backstage for so many years, nicely incorporating it into the action. Drums and limited sound effects are employed with precision to augment the action. As for the cast, Dathan Hooper cuts a striking figure as the lead, but his effusive delivery seems overly sensational and often detached from the text, so that his intensity lacks substance. Tiffany LaVoie fares better as Lady Macbeth, doing a nice job of illustrating the character's maliciousness and later, her madness. Among the rest of the company, Johnny Kinnaird was a strong Banquo, while Sean Childress and Justin Baldwin were solid, authoritative support as Duncan and Donalbain, respectively. Overall, it was a well-acted show by all onstage, but I must return to the spectral triumvirate, played by Abi Van Andel, Michael Tolfo, and Elizabeth Carey. They delivered their lines with subtle force and moved like feral creatures hungry for a fresh kill, stalking Macbeth and occupying other roles connected to his treachery, such as the three murderers employed late in the play to dispatch MacDuff's family, as if the witches were possessing normal humans in their quest to follow through on Macbeth's violent destiny. Their ability to connect the audience to what was happening onstage, a quality not often present in the rest of the cast, was the crucial foundation for the success of this memorable production. As for the distractions of Central Park, one is reminded of the boisterous crowds that first attended Shakespeare's plays during his lifetime, eating, drinking and reacting, often quite vocally, to the onstage proceedings, so that perhaps it seems churlish to complain too much about a few noises here and there.
Macbeth
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