Review of ‘Macbeth’: “What’s done cannot be undone, but it should”

London’s Globe Theatre opens this new abridged production of the Scottish play, developed as part of the Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank project – and specifically designed for younger audiences. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if the return of Bard’s timeless tragedy is met in thunder, lightning, or rain.

I’m not the biggest purist – probably because there’s nothing wholesome about me. But even I have my limits – believe it or not. In all fairness, this latest production of arguably one of the Bard’s finest efforts hasn’t tried my patience that much. In fact, there are aspects of its production you will not find me pricking my thumbs o’er. But the more I zoom out to see the full picture, the more I realize there are some major holes made and disregarded by this 90-minute version of the Scottish King tragedy.

I fell in love with Macbeth during my teenage years – suffice to say that it made me even more popular in school than I already was. Anyone who’s captivated by Shakespeare’s aura is usually charmed by the same spell. Beneath the melodiousness of his words and the musicality of his verses, there lies the most compelling exposé of our nature. His sharp eye for universal truth is what’s guaranteed the immortality of his pen. And beyond the grip of his plots, it’s his understanding of the human condition that makes any performance of his work worthwhile.

It’s often said that liking Shakespeare requires a certain level of maturity. And of course, it would be unthinkable to hope for adolescents to delve into the complexities of one of the richest authors mankind has ever produced. But even if the decision is to cut down the text and focus more on the events, there are just as many reductions you can make before even the action itself begins to shake.

This condensed approach may serve as a first step for new audiences to get acquainted with the Bard’s work – but certainly, and most unfortunately, not to understand its genius and relevance. There are too many key elements, ranging from character development to some of the piece’s core themes, that feel excessively downsized – to the point of almost non-existence. The psychological exploration that defines the essence of the original material is swept away – substituted by an unwelcome melange of new comical additions of questionable necessity and even more dubious success.

Though the staging manages to concoct some visually arresting moments, its disproportionate focus on appearance leaves very little room for the play’s introspective aspects to bloom. The use of tricks and special effects as a means of securing the most novice viewers’ attention is comprehensible, even applaudable – but it should never come at the expense of overlooking the play’s dramatic core.

As a result, the story fails to land and resonate with its watchers – not providing us with enough tools to connect and subsequently care for the personages’ journey. Their motivations feel too superficial – and the way all of them are handled is so rushed it can barely be appreciated. Its quite unsatisfactory performances do no good to the cause either – with none of them flaunting sufficient depth and elaborateness in their delivery, and offering us a rather superfluous interpretation that puts too much distance from what both work and author stand for.

“Out, damned spot!”. It seems like too many excerpts have been victims of that mentality – with a perfectly structured first piece wistfully butchered and reassembled by probably not the most skilful hands. Though its goals are unmistakably worth of praise, its missing sensitivity towards the play’s most crucial parts gives leaves this Macbeth short of blessings – with practically no toil on display, and more than double trouble haunting around in its place. It might hold some degree of enticement for those looking for a simplified reenactment of this blaring classic. But as for me, I shall find better options tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow.

All pictures credit to Tristram Kenton.

Macbeth plays at London’s Shakespeare’s Globe until 20 April. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara