Reader Reviews
Macbeth (Trafalgar Studios (previously the Whitehall), West End)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | 3rd attempt at posting - again! Trafalgar "Transformed" has been converted into a Tarantino set with the same extreme rake and even less legroom. Jamie Lloyd's production is set in an indeterminate time, but with old weapons, and proceeds with a relentless barrage of noisy violence. There is no light and shade, no disspelling of doubts in Macbeth's mind and it all becomes wearing very quickly - or nor so quickly, there is no excuse for Macbeth to run for three hours. Casting younger actors does mean that there is a very clear suggestion that Lady Macbeth is suffering from the very recent loss of an infant child but Clare Foy starts on the brink of insanity leaving her performance nowhere to go for this usually most subtle of actresses. James McAvoy is not a great verse speaker but at least he has attracted a large audience many of whom are probably new to Shakespeare. Hopefully they will return to other productions which better emphasise the beauty and complexities of the Bard. - David Baxter | 26 Apr 13 |
| Lady Macbeth started shouting and never stopped. No depth whatsoever to her performance. A miserable harridan with greasy hair and filthy clothes. The others were as repellant and the whole cast seemed like a bunch of glaswegian alcoholics fighting and spitting. Macbeth was racing his lines and also shouting, interspersed with knocking over furniture as that was the only way to punctuate the cacophony. Tiresome waste of time and money. I was so disappointed. - Emma Chisett | 24 Apr 13 |
