Macbeth

Synopsis

One of William Shakespeare's most famous plays; this production of Macbeth, by Jamie Lloyd stars The Last King of Scotland and X-Men's James McAvoy as the title role, alongside Claire Foy (Little Dorrit, The Promise) as Lady Macbeth.

Known as the Scottish Play, due to theatrical types considering saying its name to be unlucky, it tells the story of Macbeth; a man thrust into power by his overwhelming desires and an over ambitious wife, he finds his only security is to murder and murder again.

Part of Trafalgar Transformed, buy tickets to watch the famous play from a whole new perspective.

Our Review:

25 February 2013

"I am in blood," says Macbeth. And he certainly is: there's scarcely any time when he isn't walking around blood-besmirched or dodging blood dripping from the ceiling.

Director Jamie Lloyd's opening production at 'Traf Transformed' is set in a dystopian Scotland of the future, one that looks like it's suffered an apocalyptic disaster. It's a pretty bleak vision, where most of the action takes place in semi-darkness.

Like Rupert Goold's 2007 Chichester production, designer Soutra Gilmour has conjured up an industrial wasteland where action is interrupted by crackling lights and every actor appears to be clad in grey, industrial overalls.

Into this stygian gloom bursts James McAvoy's Macbeth, a bristling, boisterous, bloo...

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Latest User Review

David Baxter - 26 April 2013:

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....

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