Shakespeare's great poetic tragedy, distilled into a thrilling monodrama that charts Macbeth's psychological and moral disintegration.
The Shakespeare Edit's production of MACBETH (solo) has played to sold out audiences at the Verona Shakespeare Festival Fringe, York International Shakespeare Festival, Petrovden Shakespeare Company (Bulgaria), SaFest Udine (Italy), in Riga in collaboration with British Council Latvia, and at United Solo Theatre Festival in NYC winning the award for Best International Show.
Performed by Artistic Director Paul Goodwin, and created in collaboration with Ukrainian composer Dmitriy Saratsky, this 60 minute dramatic monologue combines a rigorous approach to language and the spoken word, with a dynamic physicality and brilliant soundscape, bringing Shakespeare’s tale of ambition, murder and madness fully alive for contemporary audiences.
Ahead of the performances we chatted to Paul Goodwin to learn more.
What can you tell me about MACBETH (solo)?
MACBETH (solo) is a distilled version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth for one actor, true to the structure and language of the play, but condensed to create an intimate portrait of psychological disintegration.
MACBETH (solo) is a distilled version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth for one actor, true to the structure and language of the play, but condensed to create an intimate portrait of psychological disintegration.
It’s previously been referred to as a “stream of consciousness roller-coaster” and that’s a pretty good description.
What inspired you to create this show?
In December 2021 I was working in Moscow at the Boris Shchukin Theatre School, preparing Russian students for a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which I was to direct. I was about to return to Russia in February 2022 when the Ukraine war started and a substantial part of my career disappeared overnight. This was the inspiration for MACBETH (solo), not a choice to make a political play, but a need to create something in the face of so much destruction.
In December 2021 I was working in Moscow at the Boris Shchukin Theatre School, preparing Russian students for a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which I was to direct. I was about to return to Russia in February 2022 when the Ukraine war started and a substantial part of my career disappeared overnight. This was the inspiration for MACBETH (solo), not a choice to make a political play, but a need to create something in the face of so much destruction.
How have you approached making it into a one person show?
That has been a long process. I have a lot of experience editing Shakespeare’s plays into scenes for students, as well as editing full plays for my company The Shakespeare Edit. I would always start with wanting to create Shakespeare that is distilled - that’s the background to the how.
That has been a long process. I have a lot of experience editing Shakespeare’s plays into scenes for students, as well as editing full plays for my company The Shakespeare Edit. I would always start with wanting to create Shakespeare that is distilled - that’s the background to the how.
The actual how involved sitting for many hours going through the play – one scene at a time, one act at a time, and putting together, curating, a narrative that honoured all the elements of the story, in a coherent and psychologically believable way.
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| Photo by Mark Duffield. |
What is the biggest challenge when staging the piece?
What has emerged over time as the biggest challenge for me as an actor, is active listening and responding. The most exciting thing in the theatre is what happens between people, and that is a challenge for the solo performer.
What has emerged over time as the biggest challenge for me as an actor, is active listening and responding. The most exciting thing in the theatre is what happens between people, and that is a challenge for the solo performer.
How does telling the story this way impact on the piece?
By giving a single voice to The Tragedy of Macbeth, not just the character Macbeth, the intensity of the psychosis at the heart of the play is brought into the foreground.
By giving a single voice to The Tragedy of Macbeth, not just the character Macbeth, the intensity of the psychosis at the heart of the play is brought into the foreground.
How much does the soundscape by Dmitriy Saratsky help in creating the atmosphere?
As I started to edit the piece and say some words aloud, I realised that I couldn’t do this solo piece on my own. I needed something to push against – something that would also push back. That’s when I met and started to work with Dmitriy. He’s a composer, sound designer and vocalist living in Kyiv, so we started working together online, and then met in Italy for the premiere and then in Latvia. What his music gives is not just atmosphere – although it certainly does that, but perhaps more
importantly character, and what we have tried, and continue to try to do, is to have a dialogue between the story, the sound and the language.
You've played the show in a variety of countries, do audiences react any differently?
I don’t think they do – although audiences are different and the way they experience their theatre is unique to their culture. Latvians turn up very early, Italians very late, it can be challenging to get Brits to even turn up!
I don’t think they do – although audiences are different and the way they experience their theatre is unique to their culture. Latvians turn up very early, Italians very late, it can be challenging to get Brits to even turn up!
I was very nervous about an outside show in Bulgaria with 150 people, not including dogs and children, of which there were quite a few. The local youth were gathered on some outer benches full of bravado – lots of eating and drinking and smoking.
But once the performance started something happened – or perhaps more accurately they became aware that something was happening – maybe they didn’t know what it was, but they knew it was something, and they were completely engaged.
I would say this is a great testament to the power of Shakespeare and of theatre, that regardless of nationality or language or location, he can reach out and make people feel something.
What was the first piece of theatre you saw that had a big impact on you?
A student production of Sam Shepard’s play “The Curse of the Starving Class”
A student production of Sam Shepard’s play “The Curse of the Starving Class”
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| Photo by Mark Duffield. |
If you were able to ask Shakespeare one question about the play, what would you ask him?
There is a double ending in the play. The death of Macbeth of course provides a dramatic denouement, but it is not the end of the play. The end of the play is the re-establishment of order and dynasty with the promise of a benevolent rule by Malcolm and a newfound and glorious relationship between Scotland and England. This is propaganda for king James, sycophancy even, or perhaps some simple Shakespearean wisdom in dealing with his patron, the King of the Scots now the new King of England. So, my question would be “If you had no obligations to flatter King James, how would you have ended the play?”
There is a double ending in the play. The death of Macbeth of course provides a dramatic denouement, but it is not the end of the play. The end of the play is the re-establishment of order and dynasty with the promise of a benevolent rule by Malcolm and a newfound and glorious relationship between Scotland and England. This is propaganda for king James, sycophancy even, or perhaps some simple Shakespearean wisdom in dealing with his patron, the King of the Scots now the new King of England. So, my question would be “If you had no obligations to flatter King James, how would you have ended the play?”
What gives you inspiration?
That’s easy…working with young, creative people.
That’s easy…working with young, creative people.
What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing the show?
I hope that anybody new to Shakespeare will see how exciting he is, and fall in love and want to see, hear and read more.
I hope that anybody who already knows and loves Shakespeare, will find that the distillation of this great text into a single voice reveals or highlights parts of the play that will stimulate them physically and intellectually.
I hope that everybody who comes will feel something that stays with them for a time.
Where can people see the show?
People can see the show in London as part of Camden Fringe at the Old Red Lion – SHAKEFEST on Friday 15th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th August at 7:00pm. Running Time: 60 minutes.
Later this year, we will be performing in Milan at the ISOLACASATEATRO as part of MilanoOff from 9th – 12 October.
Tickets are available from https://camdenfringe.com/events/macbeth-solo/
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