Murderous Macbeth

Towngate Theatre recently showed an impressive production of the play that should not be mentioned! The performance was an educational experience to be recommended to anyone who is studying Macbeth as part of their GCSE curriculum and it was performed by the production company, Revision DTC on Tour, which offers unique stage adaptations of GCSE texts. In this case, they delivered a deeper understanding of the themes of murder and treachery in this famous play.

The characters in this adaptation were brought to life by just 7 actors who cleverly took on the different roles, making simple but effective costume changes to denote the characters they were playing. Oriana Charles, who played Lady Macbeth, was able to dramatically reveal how this character transforms from one who is of strong character and craves power, to a frightened and guilt-ridden queen. Although her death is not explicitly shown, the audience can infer that she dies by her own hands, after the guilt of her involvement in the bloody murder of King Duncan drives her to madness. Rob Wolfe, who plays Macbeth, is also convincing in his quest for power and he effectively conveys the fear and paranoia that consumes this character after his treacherous decisions to murder. Together, the cast successfully create a tense atmosphere that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats and the addition of a narrator helps guide you through the story. The drama of murderous ambition, betrayal and guilt are all performed in a way that leaves a lasting impression on the spectators and a simple yet effective stage setting helps to transport the watcher to another time, making them feel as though they are living the story alongside the characters.

Macbeth is indeed a tragedy. The play makes it clear that although Macbeth takes the throne, his murderous actions lead to paranoia and events spiralling out of control. Justice is seen to be done when a carefully coordinated fight results in Macbeth's death and the final part of the story is told.

This was an enjoyable and educational opportunity to appreciate this tragic play, bringing to life the meaning of the poetic yet sometimes complex language of Shakespeare. As the final curtain went down, the actors were given a well-deserved rapturous applause.