Vibrant and thoroughly modern abridged interpretation captivates both student and adult audiences alike
This year’s production in the Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank initiative (now in its 19th year) is an abridged re-telling of the ever-popular GCSE text Macbeth. In a similarly familiar vein, the production is given a contemporary setting with a heavy presence of army fatigues.
However, there was something strangely uncontemporary and refreshing about the atmosphere in which this production created in the great wooden ‘O’ of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre the night I visited.
The Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank project facilitates free access to theatre for thousands of students aged 11–16 who may not otherwise be able to see live theatre; as such, most of the groundlings present were school students and their very chilly teachers. Witnessing the reactions of the students to the theatrical happenings on stage was inspiring to see, and created an atmosphere surely much like that at any play in the early 1600s. Wild cheers rang out from the student groundlings as the witches (played by Victoria Clow, Lucy Johnson and Rhiannon Skerritt) leapt onto the stage; a chorus of schoolchildren joined in as the witches incanted ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair’; and woops of excitement echoed around the courtyard as Lady Macbeth (Hanora Kamen ) and Macbeth (Patrick Osborne) shared a loving embrace.
The raw and unfiltered expression of their reactions to the scenes onstage demonstrated the power of the Globe as a historical testing ground for Early Modern plays. Although a thoroughly modern audience is watching this production, their emotional and vocal responses seem to show the true intentions of Shakespeare’s work. What better experience for students who are learning Macbeth in the classroom to have as, potentially, their first experience of Shakespeare in performance.
Other contemporary touches were infused into this production, including an all-female couple representing Macduff (Roxy Faridany) and Lady Macduff (Roann Hassani McCloskey), a BMX-biking Fleance (Rhiannon Skerritt), and a whole lot of PPE used by the Macbeths in the aftermath of Duncan’s murder.
In general, the abridgement of the text works well, although the journey from prophecy to regicide feels especially quick on this occasion. The highlight of this production for me, however, is surely the performance from the three witches. With very few props, and unassuming costumes of casual jeans and jackets, they create an astounding atmosphere of menace and wonder. This is mostly achieved through intricately choreographed acrobatics – no mean feat to perform while reciting Shakespeare!
Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank’s Macbeth is playing at Shakespeare’s Globe until 20 April.
shakespearesglobe.com