spMacbeth

= Macbeth Analysis =

The play, //Macbeth,// is a classic example of the great William Shakespeare's talent as a playwright. It is a dark tragedy representing the troubles and corruption involved with the quest for regal power. The supernatural and the earthly mesh together as Macbeth descends into depravity. Having been made in a time longs before ours, it is natural to assume the director would have to take a new twist to portray the characters and the scenes in a way that captures the attention of the audience. David D. Saltz, the director, skillfully used modern technologies to make the supernatural elements of the play more believable to the viewers.

I liked the concept of the characters suffering a sort of "infection" that drives them to corruption and insanity. It was noted that the use of medical supplies were a way to showcase this idea, however I did not really notice this past the use of neck braces. The costumes gave the characters a a futuristic feel, which nicely fit the setting. Tones of metallic silver, green, and gold colors effectively represented the power of the royalty portrayed in //Macbeth//. The white aura around King Duncan particularly stood out to me, it gave him an air of purity and piousness. This is something I have seen before in a filmed production of the same play. The witches' LED lights were mesmerizing as they brought the ethereal to the characters.

The set itself was exciting to look at. The fact that it was mobile meant that the audience could effectively differentiate between scenes. The presumed automation of the stage also draws back to the witchcraft idea, giving the impression that magic is the driving force behind the movement and ultimately the story itself. The lighting was extravagant, and the metallic colors added to create the futuristic setting. However, this extravagance raises another question for me. Was $30,000 enough to cover all of this? Could it have been done for less of a cost? While I cannot answer this for sure, it is a good point to consider when watching this.

The actor that stood out to me most was Dane Troy, who played as Macbeth. The vision that the witches' infection is corrupting and spreading throughout Macbeth's mind was well represented in his acting. You could tell through the force behind Troy's movement and speaking that Macbeth himself was going insane. His descent into depravity was made quite clear to me, and I felt immersed in his experiences as the story progressed. Unfortunately, I did not feel as if the other characters truly stood out as much. It was not that they were poor in their performance, it just simply did not stick out to me. However, as a whole, //Macbeth//, under Saltz's direction was an enjoyable ride through one of Shakespeare's classic works.