Macbeth - Derby Theatre Review

Review by Beth

Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review

Something wonderful and wicked this way comes to the Midlands this Spring, as Mark Babych’s company take on Shakespeare’s Macbeth at Derby Theatre. A modern and relevant production that delights and terrorises audiences in equal measure.

Photo by Tom Arran.

For those of you who have forgotten your GCSEs or have been anxiously avoiding spoilers since 1623, Macbeth tells a tale of vicious thirst for power and its dire consequences. This production sets itself in a more modern world, with a backdrop of a sort of army base in the midst of conflict.

With the sounds of blasts and cries playing as the audience enter the auditorium, this setting does
a fantastic job of setting audience members on edge and reminding us instantly that this world is not one of safety. Whilst the costuming and set are clearly modern and remind us of the ever-relevance of Shakespeare’s stories, what I particularly liked is that to me it didn’t feel glaring rooted in one particular war or conflict, allowing us to instead focus on the humanity and its flaws being displayed rather than any particular historical context. 

This, juxtaposed with the faithful use of Shakespearean language, ensures that this production feels pertinent whilst also respecting and celebrating its incredible source material.

Our show opens with the three weird sisters and their famous speech when shall we three meet again. Instantly, the wonderful physical choices of Deborah Pugh, Livie Dalee and Josie Morley paired with their grotesque makeup and costume truly set the audience on edge and create a sinister atmosphere. This production does not shy away from the grotesque nature of Shakespeare’s story, and the solid performance of our three ‘witches’ instantly creates an eery tone that remains throughout the show. 

Photo by Tom Arran.

The three reveal to Macbeth that he is to become first Thane of Cawdor and later king. Shocked by his words, Macbeth is first unnerved and yet soon learns that the title of Thane is indeed to become his following his success in war and the treason of the current leader. Soon, ideas above his station begin to bloom and Macbeth begins a power hungry plot to the top alongside his wife, Lady Macbeth. As this thirst for power grows, it becomes clear that the pair will stop at nothing to stop others from claiming the throne, including the brutal murder of Macbeth’s dear friend Banquo. Act Two explores the consequences of such desires; the couple’s ever growing anxieties and guilt begin to overwhelm them and madness begins to take root, fuelled by a growing conflict between our protagonist and Macduff. One particularly striking moment of our play happens at its very conclusion, as the three sisters meet once more to meet with a nameless young king, asking the audience to consider whether these
dreadful events are cyclical, inevitable or fuelled by misdemeanour and magic.

The editing of Shakespeare’s original source material has been done cleverly, adjusting dialogue to support the clarity of its message while remaining true and of course featuring every key moment, famous line and Shakespearean idiom, reminding us of the impact of Shakespeare on modern language. Whilst the audience may not understand every word and phrase uttered, the plot and emotions behind them are clear, both through script design and through strong world-building and characterisation through performance. This is a world of grit, brutality and of real danger, which the audience is continually reminded of through the use of weaponry, alarms and cleverly interweaved moments of violence.

Our cast does a fantastic job of revealing the humanity of our characters; they are three-dimensional and totally believable even when we, as an audience, cannot support their decisions. Oliver Alvin-Wilson shines as the titular character; he is strong and masculine yet the character’s inner turmoil becomes increasingly apparent as the show progresses. The audience goes on a real journey with him as he shows moments of real regret and devastation at his actions, and yet also at times portrays true unchecked confidence and unhingedness without becoming a caricature. At some moments, his choices to laugh were disarming in the best way, showing a lack of rational thought from our main character. Equally strong in performance was Jo Mousley as Lady Macbeth; again, at times showing a real staunchness and lack of empathy and at others a descent into madness that at no point feels over the top or unbelievable. One particular moment that closes Act One really encapsulates the conflicting personalities of the Macbeths, showing that perhaps some power is not worth wielding. Mousley and Alvin-Wilson’s performances force the audience to face the question head on; is the success of achieving your deepest desires truly worth any cost?

I was also particularly impressed by the performances of Benjamin Wilson as Ross and Daniel Poyser as Banquo. Wilson, a blind actor who is not new to the Derby Theatre stage, gave a warm and powerful performance as Ross, once again warning the audience of hubris and its dire results. This is inclusive casting done totally right; whilst adaptations were included cleverly to make his performance possible, our focus was at all times on the character being represented through his wonderful acting prowess. Poyser’s Banquo was an equally warm and likeable character, making Macbeth’s choices all the more devastating. His switch in performance as Banquo’s ghost was therefore all the more unnerving and gave us a real contrast of the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of Macbeth’s downfall; his murder becoming a real turning point for the audience as we realise just how far he will go to feed his ugly ambition. The use of child actors- who gave wonderful performances- also serves to make this point; at no point does this production shy away from brutality or attempt to protect the audience in any way. Instead, it forces us to take a true look at corruption through power and those who seek it without empathy, something just as relevant now as it was over five hundred years ago. Every member of this cast gave a strong performance, from Colin Hurley’s likeable King Duncan to Simon Trinder’s conflicted and tragic Macduff. There was not a weak link to be found.

As a huge Shakespeare fan, I find myself impressed with a production that seeks to modernise such a famous story without removing the true emotions and message that Shakespeare sought to create all those years ago. This production does a fantastic job at reminding us of the remaining relevance of Shakespeare’s stories and characters today, exploring power and corruption in a very real and human way. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Macbeth plays at Derby Theatre until Saturday 18th April and tickets are available from https://derbytheatre.co.uk/event/macbeth/

Trigger warnings- Macbeth portrays scenes of mature and intense themes, gore and torture, depictions of violence and murder, death and suicide, and the practice of witchcraft. - Use of strobe lighting is included and the recommended age for this production is 13+

Photo by Tom Arran.