Review: Macbeth at Trafalgar Studios

Macbeth

Trafalgar Studios
Reviewed on Friday 22nd February 2013 (Press Night)

"Jamie Lloyd’s production will see Shakespeare’s darkest tale play out in a dystopian Scotland brutalised by war. Under a toxic fog, Macbeth begins his tormented struggle for power fuelled by ambition and paranoia."

Macbeth is the first production in a season of work for Trafalgar Transformed. On entry to the auditorium there are many noticeable changes to Trafalgar Studios 1. The seating is now split on either side of the stage, which is touching distance from the first row. This is an interesting decision as I always find it harder to become lost in a production when I can constantly see half of the audience behind the action. Obviously there is always the danger that the cast will favour a particular side, but this only happened on a few occasions. For Macbeth, this type of staging provides a more intimate and personal experience. Actors shout and shine torches into the faces of innocent audience members, which is effective.

Jamie Lloyd's futuristic interpretation, which sees Scotland affected by climate change and laid to waste by war, is bold and daring. At first the use of such old text in a futuristic world is questionable, but I got used to it. I found the Three Witches slightly underwhelming. They are such iconic characters and I feel more could have been done for them to have greater impact on the audience.

Soutra Gilmour's design is epic. Not only is the show visually interesting to watch but you can almost smell every detail - the fog and the air freshener. It is so intriguing and really does draw you in. 

James McAvoy plays a fierce Macbeth, his performance is excellent although at times I thought his portrayal was too safe in such a cutting-edge production. Claire Foy is outstanding as Lady Macbeth who is a mystifying character. However, the stand out performance came from Jamie Ballard, his portrayal of Macduff's grief and emotional turmoil was extremely moving.

Shakespeare's play remains incredibly intense. As the cast took their bows I felt  absolutely exhausted having been taken on quite a journey. This gruesome production is not for the fainthearted and while there is no denying that the play is lengthy, it is exciting to see such a fresh interpretation.

Macbeth runs at Trafalgar Studios until Saturday 27th April 2013. Please visit www.macbethwestend.com for more information and to book tickets.

Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)

andrew@westendframe.com

Photo Credit: Johan Persson

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