Review: MACBETH, Birmingham Rep

As 2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, we will be treated to a year of exciting and innovative programming inspired by the Bard. Macbeth, directed by Carrie Cracknell and Lucy Guerin, is the first of three Shakespearean productions at The Birmingham Rep this year. Explored using a combination of the original text and dance, this adaptation focuses on Macbeth's breakdown, the supernatural forces behind it, and the ensuing chaos.

Lizzie Clachan's astonishing set, with its dramatic sense of perspective, creates a lasting first impression. Steeply raked, with angle walls narrowing to a dock door at the back, it creates a corridor or tunnel that appears to stretch into infinity. Low ceilinged and utilitarian, the design is reminiscent of a war time bunker.

Macbeth is intense and engaging from the outset; quick flashes of LED light show scenes of torture and electrocution, contorting figures and a pile of body bags. Lighting designer Neil Austin uses a harsh, blue-white palette, lit from the side to create eerie shadows and obscure facial expressions. There is a palpably tense, creepy atmosphere through the performance, which builds with menacing suspense and is punctuated with bursts of violence and drama.

The elements of dance and movement, high quality and absorbing, are the real merit of this production. I was particularly drawn to Thomasin Gülgeç, who shines with his dynamic and off-balance movements. Lucy Guerin's choreography is an innovative response to Shakespeare's source material. Banquo's line in the opening scene "The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, And these are of them" is perfectly applicable to the three witches, who spin, bend and contract in weird and wonderful ways.

This production of Macbeth is at its best when the movement and text are fully integrated, such as in the case of the witches. These three women are the controlling force throughout the action; with very little speech they jerk, contort and dominate their way through every scene. Their signature gesture - sucking one finger to create an otherworldly popping and gasping sound - is simple yet terrifying.

John Heffernan gives a scintillating performance as Macbeth, depicting his growing mania with wild movements and an uncontrolled laugh. His portrayal of Macbeth's internal struggle, engaging the audience with flashing eyes and a dangerous, lowered voice, is excellent. Heffernan is thoroughly committed to the demands of this adaptation, exploring the use of his body to add more layers to meaning to every scene.

In comparison, Anna Maxwell Martin seems overshadowed by the frenetic intensity and energy of this production, and at times constrained by the Shakespearean verse. We lose some crucial lines in her exchanges with Macbeth, as she occasionally trips over her words. She is at her best in the strange, drunken party scene leading to Duncan's murder, orchestrating this first terrible act with devastating confidence and sensuality.

Overwhelming, intense and frankly quite scary, this is Macbeth re-imagined with an emphasis on psychology and the supernatural. A perfect example of total, visceral theatre.

Photo credit: Richard Hubert Smith

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