msMacbeth

//** Macbeth **// **// Written by William Shakespeare //** **// Directed by David Z. Saltz //**

As I sat in my Literature class during senior year of high school, reading Shakespeare’s great tragedy //Macbeth//, I yearned to put those beautiful words into action, to see the story of ambition and betrayal unfold upon the stage. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when I discovered that the University Theatre would be performing //Macbeth// to conclude its 2013 season. To my surprise, this particular performance was unlike any that I had ever read in a Literature book. Making use of the modern era’s sophisticated technology, the University Theatre brought Shakespearian drama to the 21st Century. Initially, I worried that incorporating such technology would take away from the richness and eloquence of Shakespeare’s writing. However, I thought that this particular performance of Macbeth, with all of its digital wonders, was a refreshing and creative approach to the Bard’s famous tale.

William Shakespeare is perhaps the greatest dramatist that ever walked the Earth. His works have survived centuries of transformation in the theatre, remaining extremely popular despite an ever-changing audience. His name is interwoven into the theatre such that those who perform a Shakespearian piece are held to the highest standards of excellence. I absolutely adore Shakespeare; he is my favorite playwright, and I have come to learn that his insignia alone on posters can attract an audience, even if they have never heard of the play being performed. From reading //Macbeth// in high school, I am familiar with a more traditional script of the play. When considering the script for this modern rendition of the play, I found it important to note the minute changes that both the director and dramaturg made in order to emphasize certain aspects of the story. Macbeth appears to have three different sources of turmoil that drive him insane: the witches, Lady Macbeth, and his own ambition. In his production notes, director David Saltz writes that with his interpretation of the play, he stresses the role of the witches in leading to Macbeth’s demise. In this case, Macbeth seems to be driven over the edge because he was infected by the witches’ spell, in which case he appears to be a victim. While Macbeth might have an inherent evil nature, he was at first a hero, who is unfortunately brought down by the three sisters’ foul play. The characterization of him as more of a victim leads the audience to have a greater sense of pathos for him, a feeling that I certainly did not have when reading the traditional script of the play. I enjoyed this change of perspective, and I thought that both the director, David Saltz, and the dramaturg, Geoffrey Douglas did a fantastic job of highlighting the effect of the witches in the play.

When I first stepped foot into the Fine Arts theatre, I caught an eerie chill for numerous reasons. First, I was aware of the superstition surrounding “The Scottish Play” being performed in the theatre. Second, I could not help but stare at the large screen in front of the stage on which bloody handprints were shown. A doleful, solemn music filled the air as if it was foreshadowing the impending doom that was about to occur in the play. The music throughout the performance was wonderful; sound designers John Kundert-Gibbs and Cody Thomas created a creepy melody that was consistent throughout the entire play. Audience members could recognize when a dramatic action was about to occur by simply listening to the tempo of the music. Significantly, when the witches infected one of the characters, a special sound was played that enhanced the effect of witches’ power and made the audience realize that they had just taken another victim.

In addition to the sound designers, the scenic designer, Rick Clark, did a phenomenal job in helping to create the realm of Scotland. Going into the performance, I knew that //Macbeth// had a large budget, and I was expecting to see that money spent predominately on the set. My expectations were greatly surpassed; never did I anticipate that the set would be so masterly crafted and functional. With such a large stage area, many challenges arise when trying find a use for all of the space, while still leaving the actors enough room to perform. The designer utilized the spacious stage to create a three-part set that served as a battlefield, the interior and exterior of different castles, the witches’ liar, a moor, and various other locations. The three-part structure seemed to be controlled electronically, with each part placed on a track, rolling up and down the stage. The designer manipulated the location of each piece in order to achieve different levels, which gave him the ability to change the appearance of the stage in order to correspond with a specific location within the scene. What was intriguing to me about this set was the way in which the actors entered and exited through the doors in the three-part structure. Because they made their entrances and exits through the “castle,” it gave the appearance as if they were living in an actual castle, walking to and fro down the halls and coming in and out of doors. Simply entering or exiting from stage left or stage right ruins this effect. Also, the color scheme of the set was perfect! The designer created a nice earth tone while also using faint traces of gold and silver; it had a grunge that complimented the gloom of the play, yet an elegance that one might expect from a king’s castle.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of the University Theatre’s version of //Macbeth// that distinguished it from any other production was the elaborate lighting design. Lights were incorporated into almost every facet of this play, and the consistency of the design gave the play unity. The lights woven into the characters’ costumes were marvelous ways to illustrate the way in which the witches infected them. Historically, //Macbeth// contains much blood and gore, and I found it interesting how the lights served as a milder way of showing the slaughter on stage. For example, when Macbeth kills Duncan, his clothes, along with his dagger, are engulfed with red light, symbolizing the innocent blood of Duncan that is both physically and metaphorically on his hands. Similarly, Lady Macbeth’s “damned spot” is a red light that cannot be extinguished from her hand. In addition to the costumes, I loved the way in which the lighting designer, Rich Dunham, employed the use of LED screens to project most of the play’s supernatural elements. The screens were extremely effective when displaying Macbeth’s hallucinations, such as the bloody dagger and the ghost of Banquo. Using an actual prop or actor to portray the hallucinations would have ruined the eerie effect of his visions, for the audience could see a tangible object or person on the stage. However, utilizing the LED technology to display the images created abstract illusions that seemed as if they were truly haunting Macbeth. Still, I must say that the words on the screens were broken up, and those divisions made it hard for me to read what was being projected onto the screens. In addition to the LED lights, the stage lighting was also very well done. Using what he called a “cool color palette,“ Rich Dunham created a shadowy appearance on stage that corresponded with the darkness of plot. Because of Saltz’s emphasis on the witches’ role in the play, lighting designers used a softer light, while somewhat dimming the rest of the stage, in order to accentuate the witches as they infected the characters. Overall, I believe that the lighting was beautifully done: it gave the performance the dark appearance that is characteristic to //Macbeth//, yet the LED lighting made for a unique and creative way in which to interpret the director’s vision.

In addition to the scenic and lighting designers, I also loved the costume designer’s interpretation of David Saltz’s notion of the play. The antiquated design of the costumes was given a more modern appearance by the use of metallic-looking fabric and neutral colors. I must say that I did not picture the witches to be dressed in white; instead, I assumed they would be wearing black. Ironically, they looked like nuns, but I assume that this “holy” look corresponded with the play’s theme of appearance versus reality. The stark white made the witches stand out against the darkness, which alluded to the fact that they are ubiquitous, haunting all of the characters and infecting them with their poison. The characters, in what appeared to be plastic armor, reminded me of robots walking about the stage. Ironically, the armor that was intended to protect them against the witches’ infection contained the lights that were indicative of their victimization. While the overall effect of the lighting in the costumes was great, I did not care for Lady Macbeth’s neck armor, for it made her look as if she was wearing a neckbrace. The male actors, with stronger and more robust builds, could wear the armor without it overpowering their figures; however, some pieces of the armor were too bulky for the petite figures of the female actors.

All Shakespearian productions require an ensemble of talented actors, but in this particular production, I was not blown away by some of the actors on the stage. I felt as if the actor who played Macbeth, Dane Troy, started the performance a little slow, and I could not feel the passion and heroism of his character before he was corrupted by the witches; as the play progressed, his energy did increase, and he played an evil Macbeth very well. The supporting cast was mediocre, and oftentimes throughout the play, I had a hard time hearing their words, even though I was close to the front row. However, I must commend the actors who played Macduff, Lady Macbeth, and the three witches, for they gave spectacular performances. Wyatt Geist created in Macduff a character full of bravery, heroism, and nobility, the perfect foil to Macbeth. Stephanie Murphy was emotional and frenzied, just like an estranged Lady Macbeth hungry for power and control. Natalia Hernandez, Emerald Toller, and Callie Still were spellbinding, and their chemistry together, speaking incantations in harmony, was fantastic.

Pursuing the task of recreating a Shakespearian tragedy on the stage can be quite an arduous and complex experience. The University Theatre chose not only to accomplish this task, but also to incorporate digital technology into the performance. Such additions require creativity and hard work on the part of all the cast and crewmembers. The inclusion of LED technology into this production captured the fascination of a modern-day audience and provided uniqueness to a play that has been performed for centuries. I loved David Saltz’s vision for this production of //Macbeth//, and with the help of the actors and designers, he made his vision a reality.