Edinburgh 2022: Review: MACBETH THE MUSICAL, Paradise In Augustine's (The Studio)

If you have ever wondered what Shakespeare would be like with more pop music, look no further than Bristol Shakespeare Festival's Macbeth the Musical. Jam packed with reworked cheesy pop hits by a high energy cast of six, this show delivers a laugh out loud musical comedy take on the Bard's classic.

The cast opened the show with an animated rendition of "C'est la vie", with lyrics about their desire to improve Shakespeare with pop songs. This set the light-hearted and comical tone for the rest of the production. Props and costume pieces lay in wait around the sizes of the performance area and were used effectively throughout to indicate which actor was playing which character.

The cast had a strong rapport with each other and invited the audience to join in the joke with occasional asides and fourth wall breaks. These generated laughs and provided the necessary self-awareness for a comedy of Macbeth!

Vocals were strong and initial occasional lack of lyrical articulation at the start faded as performers got into their stride. The show featured hits such as "It's The Crown That I Want" (You're The One That I Want), "I Would Kill 500 Men" (I Would Walk 500 Miles) and "Since Duncan's Gone" (Since U Been Gone). Highlights included the witches bemoaning stereotypes with "Hubble Bubble" (Mamma Mia) and Banquo's ghost appearing to sing "I get killed off, but I come back again" (to the tune of Tubthumping). The songs were ably aided by simple but energetic pop choreography.

Turning a famous tragedy into a pop comedic musical might sound far-fetched, but the Bristol Shakespeare Festival have created a piece that manages to send up Shakespeare with obvious affection and understanding of the source material. This Fringe show is anyone who likes cheesy comedy, pop music and Shakespeare classics.

Macbeth the Musical at Paradise in Augustine's (The Studio) 17.20 (1 hour) Aug 6 - 13

Photo Credit: Helen Smith

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