Macbeth

“So foul and fair a day I have not seen.” Not a truer word was spoken since the opening night of Canterbury Shakespeare Festival’s Macbeth was moved from its glorious outdoor location only 30 mins before “curtain up” due to the torrential downpour that ensued for the entire evening. That said, the company showed immense tenacity by switching venues (to the lovely St Peter’s Church), moving all props and costumes, and setting up the new venue so that the show could still be performed and only 15minutes later than originally scheduled. It didn’t seem to phase a single cast member and that can only be congratulated.

Because of the proximity to the audience, no microphones were used (which negated any sound problems) and credit should be given to the whole cast who delivered lines with clear diction and at a good volume. The costumes were generally well done, and the scene changes were covered by live sound which was a lovely touch. The play, which is written in five acts, carried a good pace throughout with the dialogue delivered clearly and concisely. It is commendable that the deliverance of Shakespeare’s language felt as fluent as modern-day language. Despite the excellent pace, I would question the placing of the interval as the first “half” did feel a tad long.

The growing talent of the Canterbury Shakespeare Festival was once again displayed with this fine rendition of William Shakespeare’s “The Scottish Play”.  To bring to life any of the works of perhaps the world’s greatest author and playwright takes vision, understanding of the genre and of course a great deal of talent. The complexities of the language and thought processes of the author, insists that the cast must understand the nuances of their respective roles and play their parts with conviction.

Ciaran Barata-Hynes as the titular character gave an assured and measured performance. He had the most clear and rich sound to his voice and really acted the part, bringing out all the torment, jealously and anguish of the character. He just needs to be aware of his physicality in the heightened moments of drama to ensure it matches his vocal dexterity.

Charlotte Groombridge suited the part of Lady Macbeth clearly showing her manipulation of her husband and her drive to succeed no matter the cost. At times she needed to take care with her intonation as it felt as if she was talking down to a child rather than persuading her husband to do her bidding. That said, she was clear, confident, and showed natural stage presence. The chemistry between these two leads was portrayed well and this helped move the drama along.

Other characters who deserve a mention are Jenn Peters as Ross and the Doctor who commanded the stage whenever she appeared. Her tone and inflection particularly impressed and I found myself watching her even when she was not speaking.

Tarquin Taylor showed the anguish and despair of Macduff very well and Freya Laidlow-Peterson was an exceptionally reliable member of the production playing a multitude of roles with aplomb. I also really enjoyed Leanne Lines and Megan Sanderson, who again played strong characters and were very clearly spoken in every scene.

There were solid performances from all the cast and just because they may not have been individually mentioned does, by no means belittle the importance they played. This production was well executed, slick and enjoyable and that was only possible because of every single cast member’s effort.

I left the evening with a deep appreciation for the sheer hard work and dedication which had been evidently poured into the production. I look forward to seeing what you present in the future.

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