RSC Macbeth, 2018 Review

MACBETH - The Barbican Centre, 2019. BBC iPlayer

Originally running from November 2018 - January 2019 at the Barbican, The Royal Shakespeare Company and Director Polly Findlays reimagining of Shakespeare’s seminal tragedy, Macbeth, is currently available on BBC iPlayer as part of the BBC’s Culture in Quarantine programming.

Featuring Christopher Eccleston in the title role, this intriguing adaptation follows Macbeth's descent into madness in the name of ambition. The seasoned actor brings a charismatic yet intense edge to the part of Macbeth - deeply despairing and hurtling towards insanity.

Switching the infamous Witches from ghoulish hags to innocent-looking children in matching pyjamas and carrying teddies provides a Kubrick-esque creepiness to the well known Shakespearean horror. Hearing children's voices sing the famous ‘bubble bubble toil and trouble’ speech is sure to provide goosebumps in a way that hearing adults recite it never could. The three witches perfectly exemplify the idea of evil in an innocent package.

The diverse cast provides a well explored, yet still deeply fascinating juxtaposition between the original 400 year old text and the modern set and costuming choices. This artistic choice made the characters more relatable to modern audiences, doing nothing to detract from the subtle genius of the well known original text. The thrust staging provides an intimate 360° view into the tortured lives of the characters. In addition to this the stage is illuminated by glum shades of dark blue and grey all the way through, as if watching the play through a rainy window - perfectly representing the mental anguish the characters are experiencing. This is in turn joined by strikes of discordant and cacophonous music and bloodied, ghostly imagery, which leaves the audience unsettled and disturbed - just as Macbeth is feeling.

Although my critique of the piece is generally positive, the first part of the performance feels very slow in pace, almost as if treading water and passing the time until the more exciting scenes later acts. Once the large red clock appears on stage counting down to the main character's death, there is a distinct change in pace and atmosphere as the play begins to direct itself towards the finale.

Over all, despite a certain lack of depth to the piece at times, Polly Findlay’s retelling of the Scottish Play is intriguing, deeply atmospheric and intense, but at no point boring. A thoroughly enjoyable and refreshing take on Shakespeare's original horror.