agmacbeth

Macbeth Analysis

//Macbeth// appeared to be a much larger production than any of the other plays we have seen this year. From the theatre the play was held in to the appearance of the set, it was apparent immediately that this production was much more costly than any of the other productions seen this year. After seeing the set and the more expansive theatre, my expectations for the play were heightened. While the play did not quite meet my high expectations, there were definitely some notable elements about the play that made it very good and very unique.

The most intriguing aspect of this play for me was the set and the lights used throughout the production. Since //Macbeth// is a play that is frequently adapted to various styles of theatre, it can be difficult to stand out as a unique production. The set used in this production of //Macbeth// appeared very unique from the first glance. I really liked that the set was designed to fill the entirety of the stage; I had not realized how expansive the Fine Arts Theatre’s stage was until seeing this structure. The movement of the different set panels during scene changes was a pleasant surprise and contributed to the eerie mood of the play. It moved very slowly forward or backward, with no indication of how to the set movement was occurring. Originally, when I saw the set move, I thought there were crewmembers behind the set to move it. However, by the end of the play, I came to the conclusion that it was also possible that the set movement was computer-controlled. By adding movement of the set, it was very easy for different scenes in the play to be created – three different castles, a camp, hallways, a park, and many others, as detailed in the program. The movement of the set was easily one of the most enjoyable aspects of the show. It helped the audience understand scene changes and contributed to the mood of the play. I also enjoyed the symbolic nature of having the set come closer and closer to the audience as the play came to its climax in the final scenes. The scenic designer for the play, Rick Clark, details in the program his inspiration for the set. His goal was to create a set that did not suggest a sense of historical architecture and that would complement the massive LED light panels used. The metallic colors chosen for the set were very interesting, but very effective in the goal to illustrate royalty colors and strength.

The lighting used throughout //Macbeth// was exceptional in creating a mood and adding to the character’s actions. The use of the four LED panels through the play was very effective, especially when used in conjunction with the witches. I enjoyed watching them stir the cauldron that was lit by the lights and conjure their master on these panels. The only time the LED light panels became distracting was during the longer monologues when words were projected on the screen. I was sitting toward the front of the theatre, and I found it very difficult to read the words that appeared on the screen. In addition, the LED lights were so bright in contrast to the rest of the lighting that I found myself squinting while trying to look at the lights. I also spent more time looking at the panels trying to figure out what word was on there than focusing on the character giving the monologue. The use of the LED lights on the characters’ costumes was excellent. I loved that as the witches put a character under their influence, the lights on the character’s costume would light up. It was a nice visual representation of subtle details in the play’s script that can be difficult to follow if you are not familiar with the script of //Macbeth//. Rich Dunham, the lighting designer, states in the program that an effort was made to use cool lighting colors with a muted, shadowy quality to create the dark and eerie mood of this play. The LED lights contributed to this, as they were often the only source of light on the stage.

The costumes and makeup in this production of //Macbeth// were very interesting as well. I was very confused by the armor that the characters were wearing. Most of it appeared to be medical equipment. For example, Lady //Macbeth// wears a neck brace for the majority of the play. After reading the costume designer’s comments in the program, the use of medical devices made more sense. The witches infected the characters with poison, causing infection. Once I knew about the infection and disease the witches caused, the use of medical equipment as armor throughout the play was logical. However, if I had not known about this concept of infection, the use of medical equipment as armor would have seemed illogical to me for the entirety of the play. The clear armor was also a little strange. Most of it was medical equipment, but some of it just had the appearance of cheap, clear plastic. Another material might have been more effective, but could have also impeded with the use of the LED lights on the costumes. The best costumes in the play were the witches’ costumes. The LED lights on the back of them were amazing in the scenes where they were casting spells over various characters. I really liked that the entire costume was white and flowing; it contributed to the ghostly, ethereal appearance. The use of LED lights on other character’s costumes was effective in showing when the witches put the character under their spell.

I enjoyed the music and sound effects throughout this play. The music playing before the play began and during intermission was perfect in establishing the dark mood of the piece, without being overwhelming to audience members. The music always built when the witches were infecting character or spreading the disease, adding to what was occurring on stage. The sound designers state in the program that their goal was to create music for the play that was mysterious and unnerving. They were very successful in creating such mood with the music, and it contributed to the overall mood of the play.

In conclusion, this production of Macbeth was based on a very unique concept that was executed well through coordination of the set, lighting, costumes, and music. Most all elements of the play combined to create a dark, mysterious production of Macbeth. Through the unique elements presented in the play through the LED lights and set, this is a production of Macbeth that is very memorable.