Review: Macbeth, Bread and Roses Theatre

According to the Forbes magazine article ’11 of the Greatest Shakespeare Plays Ever,’ Shakespeare’s tragic drama Macbeth is listed at number five. First performed possibly in 1606, Macbeth has been performed on stage, film, television, radio and on various social media accounts. The most famous performances, perhaps, are from the actors Dame Ellen Terry, Sir Alec Guinness, Sir Ian McKellen, and many, many others. Different variations have been composed on film, such as Akira Kurosawa’s 1957 film adaptation, Throne of Blood, or Justin Kurzel’s 2015 film version. Macbeth is truly a work of Shakespeare that has endured countless variations and adaptations in almost any medium possible.

But now, Most Rare Vision theatre company have presented their own version of the famous tragedy, accompanied by a bold statement saying, ‘like you’ve never seen it before.’ However, according to author Marvin Carlson, ‘The retelling of stories already told, the re-enactment of events already acted, the re-experience of emotions already experienced, these are and have always been central concerns of the theatre in all times and places. Each of these production elements are also, to a striking degree, composed of material ‘that we have seen before,’ and memory of that recycled material as it moved through new and different contributes in no small measurement to the richness and density of the operation of the theatre in general as a site of memory both personal and cultural. Therefore, to make a statement regarding a tale which has been told over and over again, that it is one like you’ve never seen before, this must be taken into account.

Most Rare Vision presents a version of Macbeth without costumes, an elaborate set, or a big cast with famous celebrity actors. But rather, two actors (Ant Henson and Martha Ibbotson) wear simple black clothes against a simple black set, which is occasionally lit with red, blue, or green lights. Henson and Ibbotson have taken on the tremendous role of each acting as not one but eight, nine or more different characters. While taking on the task of so many roles is a commendable feat, if one is not too familiar with Macbeth, it can be easy to get lost as to which character is which, particularly when one actor is playing different characters who are speaking with one another. The black clothes and the black set seem to merge together to the point where the actors almost blend in with the background, and one cannot help but wonder if this production would be better off as a podcast or radio presentation.

Nevertheless, there is something very raw about Most Rare Vision’s Macbeth, which takes into account the fact that when the flashy costumes, elaborate set, and grand cast are stripped away, what one is left with is two actors passionately reciting and acting out the 419-year-old dialogue. It is then that the remarkable beauty and brilliance of Shakespeare’s writing stand out as Henson and Ibbotson seem to tirelessly recite the timeless words, and the statement ‘like you’ve never seen it before’ may appeal to generations who might not have had the best relationship with Shakespeare. Perhaps because they were forced to read certain works when younger, but can now hear the magnificence of the dialogue and truly begin to appreciate it. This re-enactment is reminiscent of that which we have seen and heard before, and yet still stands the test of time.

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Ant Henson
Associate Production by Emma Louise-Price
Sound and Lighting by Shelton Wong

Macbeth plays at The Bread & Roses until Saturday May 31st