Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
--Macbeth, Act V, scene v
Perhaps one of the most oft’ spoken soliloquy’s of Shakespeare, this short bit of prose provides profound insight into the inner workings of Macbeth. Though outwardly he maintains a fervor for power and plentitude, he ultimately understands the irony of the pointlessness of possessing it – for it was never truly his in the first place.
In Riverwalk’s “Macbeth” there were, unfortunately, many production values that signified nothing; or, worse, foretold of a tale told in less regality than Shakespeare wrote, without the intensity and emotion that makes this “ghost story” of intrigue, murder and chaos compelling. I was able to catch glimpse of director Eric Dawe’s vision – ‘twas a pity he couldn’t carry it out.
Mr. Dawe had some superb ideas; I loved the Weird Sisters without faces…however, I bored of their jellyfish antics after the first two scenes. For some reason it is common among directors to believe that flowing or spider-like movements make for a scarier character or presence on stage. These Weird Sisters are not out to scare Macbeth – they simply are what they are. They are supernatural – and being thus did not need affectation to create fear mixed with curiosity in Macbeth and Banquo; sometimes no movement at all is a more powerful means to invoke terror and awe. Their canned voices were impossible to understand; perhaps voice recorder boxes to obscure the tenor of their words would have worked if Mr. Dawe wanted a mysterious effect, however Shakespeare is difficult enough to understand without the distortion. The witches whispering their incantations and laughing quietly I believe would have been a great deal more powerful – their seeming insight into the future being much more believable by Macbeth and the audience, as if they know of a cosmic joke but won’t reveal the punchline. They are mere spectators in the form of specters, ghoulish in their predictions.
The costumes for the cast seemed to range from 18th century dresses to medieval wear; I wasn’t quite sure what the costumer was going for. It was a mish-mash of styles and trends and really didn’t work. Danny Bethea in pumpkin pants for example, and being a bit bigger than the woman who played his mother, suffered through one of the more unfortunate scenes of the show. Lady Macbeth’s crimson gown was beautiful but inappropriate – her head ornament was also anachronistic. I was hoping to see glitz and glamour on the stage for this man and woman who lusted after the royal robes – but the robes Macbeth ended up wearing were bland and practically pajama like. Not a good look for a king. I really had no place in time to put myself, and it was disorienting.
Brad Rutledge tried to play the role of Macbeth with zeal and energy, however it’s just not believable that he would ever respect Duncan the King, portrayed by Randy Matthews, or that he would heartfeltly regret killing him. Mr. Matthews demeanor was not particularly kingly nor did he develop a relationship with Macbeth that would evoke the guilt Macbeth suffers from later on. Mr. Rutledge exerted a great deal of pathos – but it was so method that it distracted from being real in any sense of the word. It was clear he was “acting,” and I don’t know if Mr. Rutledge is a method actor, but that’s what I appeared to be watching on stage. He had no chemistry with Kelly Gmazel, who played Lady Macbeth. I wanted to believe that he would kill for this woman, and to see a smoldering passion between them – instead of flames I saw forced readings and over-acted sentiments that glossed over the depths of the lines they were speaking. Ms. Gmazel also seemed to have a “method” feel about her and though there is nothing wrong with that style of acting, if it seems apparent on stage then it becomes transparent and does affect the performance.
Ms. Gmazel was bland at best. She did not have the natural knack for speaking the language, and so her emotions didn’t make sense and neither did her motive for wanting her husband to kill the king. She doesn’t come across as greedy and seductive – I’m not sure how I would describe her performance other than disappointing. I wanted to see a scheming enchantress, a woman who knew what she wanted and for the audience to see if she had been a man, she would have killed the king herself. As it was she had to take over for Macbeth as he falters and finish what he starts, and she should do so with venom instead of exaggerated irritation that Ms. Gmazel emoted instead. This is supposed to be a woman who has no heart – and she steals away what is left of her husband’s. There was a great deal more depth that Ms. Gmazel could have plunged into with this character.
Mr. Dawe had a unique supporting cast; of them, Adam Carlson as MacDuff and Erik Grill as a host of characters, are the strongest actors of the entire show. Erik Grill in particular played his parts with the understanding and full commitment to the language and intent of the language. He understood where to stress the words and how to make them clear. He assigned the right emotion and facial gestures with his speeches, and I was thoroughly impressed with his performance. Great job, Mr. Grill. I would love to see you do more Shakespeare – Iago, perhaps?
Mr. Carlson as MacDuff was also quite good; I would have liked to have seen more angst in his “Horror, horror!” line – after all, the king’s just been killed – but I also know that is a pretty difficult line to deliver. I think he portrayed the character of MacDuff with an amiability to begin with and so when we see him betrayed by Macbeth, Mr. Carlson opens himself up to rage and for the audience to feel his sorrow. He could have been a bit louder, even – his family has just been killed after all – but overall he emotes grief and the urge for revenge very well. He never went over the top with his character, and his lines were very well delivered.
I wish I could say the same for the characters of Malcolm, Banquo, and other members of the cast. Many were difficult to understand, and many characters were directed to face upstage as they spoke so their lines just couldn’t be heard, though Scott Larson was another stand-out who played multiple characters (including one of the Weird Sisters) and made his presence known on stage.
There were many production choices that were poor – the recording of the Weird Sisters, the prolific and pointless scene changes without music to mask the stomping on the set, and even the random use of the set itself. The design by Craig Smith was interesting – though it wasn’t really used to its full potential. There were three steps downstage for use – I think it would have been wise to use that for a sitting area instead of bringing the lights up and down to move a bench, and then a stump, and a bench – over and again. Or else perhaps a bench could have been made into the set to be used? The stairs in the middle of the set which led to an upper level – which my inclination is to think was a construction issue rather than a design issue – were built with the steps too far apart. More than once an actor teetered on them, and without railings they were downright dangerous. Ms. Gmazel did stumble at the top as she tripped the night I saw the show – I’m glad she made it safe through the end of the run.
I know I sound very critical of the show, but that is because my expectations were set very high. Mr. Dawe has a tremendous reputation in theatre and I’m surprised at the production choices he made; little or no music for scene changes, allowing costumes that were of different time periods, some corny prop items (the twigs for the forest, for example), unsatisfying choreography for the fighting – a desperate death cry of rage and rebellion from Macbeth, even at the point of defeat off stage, would have been appropriate and yet was missing. The end of the show lacked luster and was unsatisfying. I never believed Macbeth was all that strong or determined or even afraid for his soul – mostly he was pathetic. There is no nobility in pathos.
Shakespeare, if not cast with the right actors who know how to deliver the lines, understand the language and can use their facial expressions and body movements to help translate the story for the audience, falls flat and is a sad sight to see. The minimalist set – while not great – did give Mr. Dawe all the components he needed in and of itself. Lady Macbeth did not require water to wash her hands – the magical effect of the blood appearing out of thin air would have been much more potent without actual water present, for example.
I know Mr. Dawe carries a great deal of passion for Shakespeare – it’s unfortunate that his passion didn’t translate to the stage and into the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, specifically. These are characters are akin to Othello – whose blood runs hot and are made of the stuff action springs from – and once they take the fiery plunge into red depths, they sink deeper and deeper until they know they’ve damned themselves into a place from whence there is no return.
I’m sorry Mr. Dawe; I was looking for regality, rebellion, lust and revenge – I wish I’d seen it.
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
--Macbeth, Act V, scene v
Perhaps one of the most oft’ spoken soliloquy’s of Shakespeare, this short bit of prose provides profound insight into the inner workings of Macbeth. Though outwardly he maintains a fervor for power and plentitude, he ultimately understands the irony of the pointlessness of possessing it – for it was never truly his in the first place.
In Riverwalk’s “Macbeth” there were, unfortunately, many production values that signified nothing; or, worse, foretold of a tale told in less regality than Shakespeare wrote, without the intensity and emotion that makes this “ghost story” of intrigue, murder and chaos compelling. I was able to catch glimpse of director Eric Dawe’s vision – ‘twas a pity he couldn’t carry it out.
Mr. Dawe had some superb ideas; I loved the Weird Sisters without faces…however, I bored of their jellyfish antics after the first two scenes. For some reason it is common among directors to believe that flowing or spider-like movements make for a scarier character or presence on stage. These Weird Sisters are not out to scare Macbeth – they simply are what they are. They are supernatural – and being thus did not need affectation to create fear mixed with curiosity in Macbeth and Banquo; sometimes no movement at all is a more powerful means to invoke terror and awe. Their canned voices were impossible to understand; perhaps voice recorder boxes to obscure the tenor of their words would have worked if Mr. Dawe wanted a mysterious effect, however Shakespeare is difficult enough to understand without the distortion. The witches whispering their incantations and laughing quietly I believe would have been a great deal more powerful – their seeming insight into the future being much more believable by Macbeth and the audience, as if they know of a cosmic joke but won’t reveal the punchline. They are mere spectators in the form of specters, ghoulish in their predictions.
The costumes for the cast seemed to range from 18th century dresses to medieval wear; I wasn’t quite sure what the costumer was going for. It was a mish-mash of styles and trends and really didn’t work. Danny Bethea in pumpkin pants for example, and being a bit bigger than the woman who played his mother, suffered through one of the more unfortunate scenes of the show. Lady Macbeth’s crimson gown was beautiful but inappropriate – her head ornament was also anachronistic. I was hoping to see glitz and glamour on the stage for this man and woman who lusted after the royal robes – but the robes Macbeth ended up wearing were bland and practically pajama like. Not a good look for a king. I really had no place in time to put myself, and it was disorienting.
Brad Rutledge tried to play the role of Macbeth with zeal and energy, however it’s just not believable that he would ever respect Duncan the King, portrayed by Randy Matthews, or that he would heartfeltly regret killing him. Mr. Matthews demeanor was not particularly kingly nor did he develop a relationship with Macbeth that would evoke the guilt Macbeth suffers from later on. Mr. Rutledge exerted a great deal of pathos – but it was so method that it distracted from being real in any sense of the word. It was clear he was “acting,” and I don’t know if Mr. Rutledge is a method actor, but that’s what I appeared to be watching on stage. He had no chemistry with Kelly Gmazel, who played Lady Macbeth. I wanted to believe that he would kill for this woman, and to see a smoldering passion between them – instead of flames I saw forced readings and over-acted sentiments that glossed over the depths of the lines they were speaking. Ms. Gmazel also seemed to have a “method” feel about her and though there is nothing wrong with that style of acting, if it seems apparent on stage then it becomes transparent and does affect the performance.
Ms. Gmazel was bland at best. She did not have the natural knack for speaking the language, and so her emotions didn’t make sense and neither did her motive for wanting her husband to kill the king. She doesn’t come across as greedy and seductive – I’m not sure how I would describe her performance other than disappointing. I wanted to see a scheming enchantress, a woman who knew what she wanted and for the audience to see if she had been a man, she would have killed the king herself. As it was she had to take over for Macbeth as he falters and finish what he starts, and she should do so with venom instead of exaggerated irritation that Ms. Gmazel emoted instead. This is supposed to be a woman who has no heart – and she steals away what is left of her husband’s. There was a great deal more depth that Ms. Gmazel could have plunged into with this character.
Mr. Dawe had a unique supporting cast; of them, Adam Carlson as MacDuff and Erik Grill as a host of characters, are the strongest actors of the entire show. Erik Grill in particular played his parts with the understanding and full commitment to the language and intent of the language. He understood where to stress the words and how to make them clear. He assigned the right emotion and facial gestures with his speeches, and I was thoroughly impressed with his performance. Great job, Mr. Grill. I would love to see you do more Shakespeare – Iago, perhaps?
Mr. Carlson as MacDuff was also quite good; I would have liked to have seen more angst in his “Horror, horror!” line – after all, the king’s just been killed – but I also know that is a pretty difficult line to deliver. I think he portrayed the character of MacDuff with an amiability to begin with and so when we see him betrayed by Macbeth, Mr. Carlson opens himself up to rage and for the audience to feel his sorrow. He could have been a bit louder, even – his family has just been killed after all – but overall he emotes grief and the urge for revenge very well. He never went over the top with his character, and his lines were very well delivered.
I wish I could say the same for the characters of Malcolm, Banquo, and other members of the cast. Many were difficult to understand, and many characters were directed to face upstage as they spoke so their lines just couldn’t be heard, though Scott Larson was another stand-out who played multiple characters (including one of the Weird Sisters) and made his presence known on stage.
There were many production choices that were poor – the recording of the Weird Sisters, the prolific and pointless scene changes without music to mask the stomping on the set, and even the random use of the set itself. The design by Craig Smith was interesting – though it wasn’t really used to its full potential. There were three steps downstage for use – I think it would have been wise to use that for a sitting area instead of bringing the lights up and down to move a bench, and then a stump, and a bench – over and again. Or else perhaps a bench could have been made into the set to be used? The stairs in the middle of the set which led to an upper level – which my inclination is to think was a construction issue rather than a design issue – were built with the steps too far apart. More than once an actor teetered on them, and without railings they were downright dangerous. Ms. Gmazel did stumble at the top as she tripped the night I saw the show – I’m glad she made it safe through the end of the run.
I know I sound very critical of the show, but that is because my expectations were set very high. Mr. Dawe has a tremendous reputation in theatre and I’m surprised at the production choices he made; little or no music for scene changes, allowing costumes that were of different time periods, some corny prop items (the twigs for the forest, for example), unsatisfying choreography for the fighting – a desperate death cry of rage and rebellion from Macbeth, even at the point of defeat off stage, would have been appropriate and yet was missing. The end of the show lacked luster and was unsatisfying. I never believed Macbeth was all that strong or determined or even afraid for his soul – mostly he was pathetic. There is no nobility in pathos.
Shakespeare, if not cast with the right actors who know how to deliver the lines, understand the language and can use their facial expressions and body movements to help translate the story for the audience, falls flat and is a sad sight to see. The minimalist set – while not great – did give Mr. Dawe all the components he needed in and of itself. Lady Macbeth did not require water to wash her hands – the magical effect of the blood appearing out of thin air would have been much more potent without actual water present, for example.
I know Mr. Dawe carries a great deal of passion for Shakespeare – it’s unfortunate that his passion didn’t translate to the stage and into the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, specifically. These are characters are akin to Othello – whose blood runs hot and are made of the stuff action springs from – and once they take the fiery plunge into red depths, they sink deeper and deeper until they know they’ve damned themselves into a place from whence there is no return.
I’m sorry Mr. Dawe; I was looking for regality, rebellion, lust and revenge – I wish I’d seen it.
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