Review of Classical Theatre Company’s Macbeth (Shakespeare) Thursday, November 29, 2012

By Tom Mackan
The View

While waiting during preshow, I found the mix of house and moody pre-set stage lighting gave the black of the stage walls a faint glistening as if catching some glow from a baronial fireplace. Nice. The setting is a large room, effectively suggested by the handsome refectory table set upstage centre, a fine chair placed above, its polished trim catching the red of the dim overhead Fresnel lamps, emitting a sense of lurking lushness, a seat of power. Expectations rising. This is, after all, to be a production of Macbeth, the tragic 11^th century Scottish lord who self-destructs in a series of blood baths that he might realize a prophecy of some witches that he was destined to be King. 

Lights down, actors to places in the black, lights up, and expectations need emergency adjustment immediately… not a medieval baronial castle, but alas, a 21^st century drinking place of low character featuring a trio of witches. Well, we accept this and carry on with the mixed results, not all bad, but disappointing on the whole. It takes a while to catch the contemporary in this show, but the costumes give it away slowly, followed by a Blackberry i-phone and other impedimenta of modern life. Let’s say this, that the determined cleverness of the modernizing devices works, but to what purpose? As the well-known plot unfolds there’s really not much to justify moving from medieval clan power struggle to our own corporate high-rise shenanigans.

As Macbeth, Anderson gives an intense performance, a searching and complicated tragic hero much more akin to the 11^th than the 21st century. Strong in emotional variety, but somewhat uneven in vocal delivery, only faintly audible at times, and rushing the iambs into throaty expletives at other times, but his Macbeth is marvelously dangerous, a once strong limb of a majestic oak the heavy ambition of which is more than the oak can bear, and in Shakespearian thunder and lightning, must needs collapse carrying all with it.  It’s an over-all masterful performance, his wide expressive eyes glaring helplessly into the void of his own making. It begs for a simple tunic and leggings and never mind the i-phones and toy guns. Let’s have a light chain mail, not a bullet-proof vest. But I quibble, I admit.

He is impressively supported by Laura Ellis as a startlingly luscious Lady Macbeth. Ellis has the acting goods to accompany her determined dynastic blood lust and cashes them in here in a stunning performance. As expected, in his dual roles of Duncan and Macduff, pre-eminent local actor Steve O’Brien brings to the language of the Bard his enviable gifts of speech and creative understanding. While younger and less seasoned, the admirable performance of Nick Kozij as Malcolm is awesome. There is a confidence in his grasp of Shakespeare’s language to sit you up in your seat with a grateful debt of gratitude for his work. In their scene together in England as Macduff and Malcolm, O’Brien and Kozij are easily the best Shakespearians of the show.  

Actor Theresa Cooke too, commands the stage with ease in her expression and presence, ever in her moment, nothing wasted, especially as Hecate. Another strong performance comes from William LeGood (so aptly named!) as the betrayed Banquo. He is intelligently well-contained in style, with an enviable sense of stillness in his moments. Tyler Brent is as comfortable on stage as he is off as co-Director. His small role as Doctor is especially notable in its polish. Aha Blume makes the most of her several functional roles with generous energy. Her Porter is delightful. Of the three witches, Annie McLean’s and Teresa Janes’ acting smarts keep Michael Zimmerman’s skills up to scratch effectively, and in smaller rolls, Ron Collingwood, Jim Jeffrey,  and Justine Dennis bring credit to the company for strong supporting work. 

Pacing and direction keep the action moving. Lighting overdoes the moody a bit heavily, but works, smoke and fog FX good, music choices from Carl Orff through Beethoven find a home most of the time… Excellent work from Steve Newman in the booth as Production Co-ordinator.  Advice to C.T.C.?  Save the contemporary take on classics for the future when resources and time allow.