At the theater
Dec. 19th, 2013 12:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
riontelSaw Lincoln Theater's production of Macbeth yesterday. It was a grand spectacle. The sets were elegantly spare and moodily dark, with an interpretation of "The Seal of God's Truth" mandala etched into the center of the stage. Few moving components, tables, stairs and the like, were used to sketch the scene, with more of the effect achieved through clever lighting than through an actual decor. Costumes were chic and sleek, Lady Macbeth in a black strapless gown (!), with lots of studded leathers for the war scenes and three-piece long coat suits off the battlefield for the men. Not a kilt in sight. The overall color scheme was very much to my taste, black on black with a rare splash of red and silver.
As a contrast to everybody else's elegant attire the gender-bending Witches and Hecate were somewhat appropriately dressed in tattered rags and sported bizarre makeup and hairdos. And there were a bit too much of them, more than what you would normally expect, if you were just going by Shakespeare's text. They acted out some of the parts, like the sergeant, the porter, the third murderer, etc. They were lurking and cavorting in the background and through the scenes, and generally suggesting a much more active role in the events. Hecate, who normally has just a bit part, was all over the thing, which made her complaint of not being included in the original scheme with Macbeth rather puzzling. And in addition to the three expected witches there were some other witch-like characters crawling around the stage, not serving any artistic purpose that I could discern. Not sure what was up with that. The witches + Hecate + the other creatures were just a tiny bit over the top.
The acting was uneven, Shakespeare sure doesn't come naturally to everybody. Unfortunately it came least naturally to Macbeth himself, played by Ethan Hawke. Hawke can act, and overact in spots, but clearly pronounce his lines, not so much, at least not so that anybody past first row could catch. Malcolm, on the other hand, was loud and clear but couldn't act. I rather liked the neurotic Lady Macbeth, I think Anne-Marie Duff did a decent job of her, and they had good chemistry with Hawke. The rest of the cast were good as well.
It was a contrast to the Globe's faithful production of "Twelfth Night", with their authentic costumes, setting and music, but riveting in its own way. The atmosphere, sets, costumes, great music, strobe lights and projections, were very cool. Director's vision - quite interesting. Acting, not excellent but mostly good. Few suggestions: trim down Weird Sisters, nix the Hecate and teach Ethan Hawke to speak above a whisper and deliver his lines (mumbling "tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" - so not cool). Overall very enjoyable but not of the standing ovations caliber.
As a contrast to everybody else's elegant attire the gender-bending Witches and Hecate were somewhat appropriately dressed in tattered rags and sported bizarre makeup and hairdos. And there were a bit too much of them, more than what you would normally expect, if you were just going by Shakespeare's text. They acted out some of the parts, like the sergeant, the porter, the third murderer, etc. They were lurking and cavorting in the background and through the scenes, and generally suggesting a much more active role in the events. Hecate, who normally has just a bit part, was all over the thing, which made her complaint of not being included in the original scheme with Macbeth rather puzzling. And in addition to the three expected witches there were some other witch-like characters crawling around the stage, not serving any artistic purpose that I could discern. Not sure what was up with that. The witches + Hecate + the other creatures were just a tiny bit over the top.
The acting was uneven, Shakespeare sure doesn't come naturally to everybody. Unfortunately it came least naturally to Macbeth himself, played by Ethan Hawke. Hawke can act, and overact in spots, but clearly pronounce his lines, not so much, at least not so that anybody past first row could catch. Malcolm, on the other hand, was loud and clear but couldn't act. I rather liked the neurotic Lady Macbeth, I think Anne-Marie Duff did a decent job of her, and they had good chemistry with Hawke. The rest of the cast were good as well.
It was a contrast to the Globe's faithful production of "Twelfth Night", with their authentic costumes, setting and music, but riveting in its own way. The atmosphere, sets, costumes, great music, strobe lights and projections, were very cool. Director's vision - quite interesting. Acting, not excellent but mostly good. Few suggestions: trim down Weird Sisters, nix the Hecate and teach Ethan Hawke to speak above a whisper and deliver his lines (mumbling "tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" - so not cool). Overall very enjoyable but not of the standing ovations caliber.
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Date: 2013-12-19 05:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-19 05:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-19 05:34 pm (UTC)American directors and actors can still present Shakespeare better than Chekhov (I saw "Ivanov" last year) or a Russia-related play ("The Coast of Utopia"). More believable. I didn't get the costume discrepancies though. Military clothing from medieval times vs civil clothing which looked like it came from 19th century. If there was a hidden message, I didn't get it.
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Date: 2013-12-19 07:47 pm (UTC)I've seen horrible local Shakespeare productions as well, for instance, this year's "Julius Caesar" at BAM was so bad, we left midway.
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Date: 2013-12-19 06:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-19 07:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-12-19 08:26 pm (UTC)Btw, did you see the Slings & Arrows (a canadian TV series about a theatre troupe staging various Sheakspeare plays)?
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Date: 2013-12-20 05:51 am (UTC)Haven't seen Slings & Arrows, will check it out.
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Date: 2013-12-20 06:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-27 06:05 pm (UTC)(Just one bit of advice - if it doesn't draw you in right away, give it until you've seen first three episodes. Some people felt that the show starts a bit too slow.)
no subject
Date: 2014-01-27 06:06 pm (UTC)