BWW Blog: Jessica Gould - A New Twist on an Old Play

For my school's spring play, New Albany High School presented a production of the classic Shakespearean tragedy, Macbeth. The director and teacher of the drama department at the school, Elliott Lemberg, decided to stray from the typical setting of late 1500s Scotland and put a Kabuki twist on it.

Kabuki is a traditional form of Japanese theatre that emphasizes beauty, form, and line. This can be seen in this unique production of Macbeth through its extravagant costumes, vibrant makeup, and intricate sets. In Kabuki theatre, there are traditionally two walkways extending into the audience called hanamichi, and the audience feels submersed into the show rather than watching it. This is well reflected in the set, where the performers can be directly next to the audience via the two walkways, and the experience is interactive and intimate due to the use of the black box Mershad as opposed to the McCoy's larger venue which seats 786 audience members.

What made Elliott Lemberg come up with the idea for a Kabuki style Macbeth? He studied Shakespeare throughout college and beyond, and the Scottish tragedy marked the third time he directed a play by the famous bard. For this particular production, Lemberg wanted to do something different that would capture the beauty of the play while still displaying its darker qualities. Kabuki was the perfect fit.

Where did Lemberg draw his inspiration from? Akira Kurosawa's film adaption of the play, Throne of Blood, helped him conceive the thought of a Kabuki interpretation of Macbeth, and the nightmarish film world of David Lynch is also credited.

It is enthralling and captivating to see such a rare version of this traditional play. I enjoyed seeing New Albany High School's Macbeth so much, I came back a second time! Not only did the Kabuki theme make the play more interesting, but it also brought out the talent of the students as well. "I have enjoyed directing Macbeth more than any other play I have done and am very proud of the final result." Lemberg finalized. "Macbeth is the first show where the vision in my mind was fully realized onstage." I am excited to see what visions Elliot Lemberg has in store for his productions in the future!

Photo Credit: Jeffrey S. Krugh