Deadlines out the way – check. Halloween creep in the air – check.
Dark, chilly, winter night – check.
This is the perfect recipe to go see a play; and what better play to see than the University Theatre Group’s Macbeth.
Potentially Shakespeare’s darkest production was incredibly apt for a bitterly cold night after Halloween. To say I was excited was an understatement, like a typical English Literature student my heart holds a tender love for Shakespeare. I even have Shakespeare word poetry fridge magnets – my housemates and I try to make our own breakfast masterpieces. Nothing great has transpired so far, I guess it’s something best left to experts.
As is the acting - my Year Six production of Macbeth left a lot to be desired compared to this wonderful show.
Cam Bevan, who played Macbeth, stole the show (and my heart). He was INCREDIBLE. Within seconds you forgot that you were watching a university production, in a lecture theatre, and that all these actors and actresses are full time students with other commitments and responsibilities. The sheer dedication that must have been given was inspiring, there were no slip-ups with language – in fact they managed to make the sometimes unintelligible vocabulary perfectly comprehensible; their expressions and passion told the story. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to learn a whole script, especially one with long soliloquies, but to learn one in a language which is unfamiliar is even more admirable.
There must have been some lines which they loved to say:
“Out, damn spot”
“Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble”
“Is this a dagger I see before me?”
And so many more – lines which I recognised but didn’t know until now were from Macbeth. It is impressive really, how indelibly Shakespeare’s words have impregnated themselves into our consciousness. So much so that despite being hundreds of years old this play is still being performed in university theatres up and down the country, and people of course still want to watch it, because they still appreciate the timeless talent within the play. Sometimes I overthink things, but it is the notion of a piece of art enduring so long which makes the act of watching it ever more powerful.
Anyhow, I digress… Not only was Macbeth incredible, so was Lady Macbeth (Amy Fitzgibbon)! I had forgotten how dark and treacherous this play was until I saw her. Callous and ruthlessly ambitious initially, yet gradually fading into madness. I found her captivating. As I did the whole play - the murder of Macduff’s child in front of his wife sent shivers down me, to act such raw emotion was undoubtedly incredible – indeed, I felt like a vulgar spectator on someone else’s grief. Similarly when Macduff heard news of their murder his reaction was heart wrenching – now I know I am of the emotional sort, but I implore anyone not to be moved by their performance!
There are so many elements of the play I would like to comment on – the terrifying sightless witches (literally, I was so scared!), the hilarity of the drunken guard which allowed for a brief interlude to all the murder and wickedness – I particularly enjoyed his quasi-crowd participation, the impressively choreographed sword fighting, and of course, the music and lighting which was faultless.
I beg everyone to go and see this play, not only because Shakespeare is our national inheritance and we enjoy every opportunity we have to see it, and not only because it is put on by our University and we should support such local ventures, but because it is BRILLIANT.
So go see it; do something a bit cultural, a bit different, and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
It’s running in the Annex Theatre at 7:30pm until Saturday 3 November. Tickets are available from SUSU Box Office, or on the door.
Florence
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