"The only thing that's tragic about Macbeth is the amount of times it has been remade."

 

There has never been a truer word said than by the man sitting behind me in the theatre of this production. However, this interpretation was "an exception to the rule.", said my family friend, Danielle.

 

Yaël Farber's adaptation of Shakespeare's renowned script was performed with a contemporary twist. Swords were replaced with guns, armour with army vests and the typical witches' attire of dishevelled rags was shed and replaced with crisp, clean, three-piece suits. This made the performance a refreshing and captivating watch for an audience, most of whom have probably previously seen the play performed at least once. 

 

Ingeniously, Farber manages to explore the profound themes of this play, in keeping with the cutting edge production. The supernatural, which would have been a powerful concept in Jacobean England, when the script was written, was portrayed by the lurking witches; watching over the entire production, from different angles.  The duplicity of Lady Macbeth, another important idea, is depicted in this interpretation by her wearing shoes when she is in public and going barefoot, when she is alone or only with Macbeth. Disorder; arguably the most prominent theme in the production, is presented by the stage filling up with water, no matter the efforts people go to earlier in the play to prevent this from happening. Directorial decisions, such as these, force the audience to ponder the meaning behind the play, making the production more of an immersive experience.

 

The acting was mesmerising, but very intense, with the likes of James McArdle and Saoirse Ronan playing the leading couple. McArdle, who is a practised stage actor, held himself with a striking similarity to the character of Scottish, weather-beaten Macbeth, making his excellent performance all the more convincing. The brooding, manipulative antagonism of Lady Macbeth portrayed by the four time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, subtly emphasised the wickedness of her character. The incredible, dramatic depiction of the characters orbiting around the two protagonists can be seen throughout the play but specifically when Macduff, played by Emun Elliot repeatedly sputters and spits to show his desperation and frustration and Lady Macduff, portrayed by Akiya Henry is brutally drowned on stage. This emotive and enthralling imagery created an air of tension and chaos in the theatre that was almost palpable.

 

In The Tragedy of Macbeth, Yaël Farber has breath-takingly presented the magic of Shakespeare in a contemporary light; one that does not make the audience mourn the few hours of their life spent watching yet another remake of this tragedy.