'Macbeth' at the Nuffield (20/09/2011)

Performed by Winchester based 'Platform 4', Macbeth, one of Shakespeare's great plays, and one of my set texts for my A2 exam, was meant to create a 'taut psychodrama that crackles with a wild electricity'.

I have always believed that Shakespeare has to be seen and you cannot just read it alone. You have to be able to listen to the words to really appreciate their beauty. Having previously seen a very successful adaption of 'The Tempest' at the Nuffield a few months before, I had high hopes for another excellent production. However, when the famous three witches came on with a piece of cloth over their heads, my heart sank. Where was the originality?

Sadly the lack of new and exciting ideas that performances of Shakespeare can bring continued. I thought I knew the play well, having already looked at the play before, however, for most of the two hour production I was trying to figure out who was who. Banquo (?) and Donalbain (?) particularly were two I could not tell apart - their expression was minimalist and their physical appearance was identical - same colour hair, same hair cut, same beard and same long, greenish coloured coat. Lady Macbeth was weak and should have been played by the only other woman in the performance who ended up playing one of the witches, Malcolm, Lady Macduff and a messenger. She had clarity and most importantly she had presence.

However, Macbeth was good - he was the only one who 'felt' the words he was speaking, so was sadly let down by the other performers.

There were some clever parts, where some events which were significant, yet needed no speech were done behind a net curtain - made prominent by the use of lighting. The lighting really was excellent - it evoked the passion and terror Macbeth involves.

Overall, my opinion is that the perfomance would have been very good if a school or college had presented this. On the otherhand, for paid actors, it did not live up to expectation.