Film & TV

Film Review: Macbeth

Live theatre that is happening on the other side of the world! It’s a new experience and a rewarding one, particularly when it allows us to sit in on such an extraordinary production. This is a traditional adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Scottish play” on film.


MacBeth
Presented by National Theatre Live (UK)

Live theatre that is happening on the other side of the world! It’s a new experience and a rewarding one, particularly when it allows us to sit in on such an extraordinary production. This is a traditional adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Scottish play” on film, presented in an innovative way by the UK’s National Theatre which creates an atmosphere that can carry us back to Scotland in its murky past.

The setting that Kenneth Branagh and his co-director Rob Ashford chose was a disused church, spartan and gothic, with so many possibilities. Christopher Oram’s design felt right, with the muddy floor and the fluid changes, Terry King’s fight choreography was cleverly matched to the confined spaces and looked very real.

Branagh does not disappoint as the lead character; he takes us along on his rollercoaster of emotions. Alex Kingston looks every inch Lady Macbeth and I really enjoyed her performance until the mad scene, when I felt she failed to convince. The emotion displayed by Ray Fearon, who played MacDuff, was impressive. In the scene where he learns of the slaughter of his family, despite the fact I know the text well and I was expecting a reaction, his performance brought tears to my eyes.

In such a stellar cast it would be easy to name almost all the players, and difficult to pick exceptional performances when even such small roles as MacDuff’s son, Pip Pearce, should be congratulated. Well-known actors such as Jimmy Yuill (seen so frequently on our TV screens) display their craft with pride. Yuill’s Banquo is well developed and thoughtful. The three witches played by Charlie Cameron, Laura Elsworthy and Anjana Vasan are refreshingly different without giving them outlandish costumes or attitudes. Other players warranting a mention are Daniel Ings, a good First Murder but an even better Porter, Rosalie Craig a beautiful Lady MacDuff and Alexander Vlahos as a restrained and believable Malcolm.

The performance lasts two and a half hours (no interval) so there have been cuts, but so seamless that they are barely noticed. The dialogue is delivered at a fast pace and the story rolls on relentless and well managed. The sound, composed by Patrick Doyle and designed by Christopher Shutt, complements and never overpowers the action and the lighting design, by Neil Austin, is moody and dark but never dull and supports the overall design of this production perfectly.

The cinematography was so good that it was possible to forget that we were not part of the physical audience in that church, and yet it gave us the best of both worlds, showing us the close-ups that are denied a normal theatre audience. I urge you, if you love Shakespeare and like seeing it performed at its best, to support this wonderful initiative to bring the Bard direct to us from the British stage.

I look forward to further productions, I understand that there are many more direct broadcasts planned, not just the Bard’s work but other plays, musicals and operas, the thought is very exciting!

Reviewed by Fran Edwards

Rating out of 10:  10

National Theatre Live – MacBeth
Venue:
Palace Nova Cinema, Rundle Street, Adelaide
Season: 2-3 November 2013
Duration: 2.5 hrs
Tickets: $15.00 – $25.00
Bookings: Book online or at the door of the Palace Cinema

 

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