Feb

27

Sound And Fury.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

February 27, 2008 |

Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s darkest, most popular plays, but also, from a production perspective, one of the most difficult. Because the play is so sweepingly dramatic, because it includes witches, ghosts, swordfights, and a whole string of murders it can very easily turn from tragedy to unintentionally campy comedy. I saw a production of Macbeth in England that had problems from the opening scene. It was supposed to be set in the U.S. Civil War, but the director hadn’t done enough research to know that, in that war, the guys in the blue and the guys in the gray were on opposite sides. And the murder of Macduff’s wife and child was so ridiculously staged that the audience laughed. On the other hand I saw a production done by the Nashville Shakespeare Festival that was dark and terrifying and absolutely enthralling. Maybe it’s this hit or miss quality, and not the play’s spooky atmosphere, that’s given rise to the actors’ superstition that the name of the play should never be spoken; it’s only referred to as “the Scottish play”.

A new stage production of the Scottish play is opening in Washington D.C., and it’s being directed by the magician Teller, one half of the duo Penn & Teller. (Penn Gilette, meanwhile, is appearing in this season’s Dancing With The Stars.) Teller is famous for being the silent partner, but he can speak up when the occasion calls for it. Check out his series of essays on the Penn & Teller web site, most recently devoted to Macbeth, but covering a wide range of topics. Directing with Aaron Posner, artistic director of the Two River Theater Company, Teller is also creating special effects for the play. Although he’s serious about remaining true to the play, this particular production will have more magic–and more blood–than audiences are probably used to seeing in Shakespeare. And that’s good. In a USA Today article (devoted mostly to his house but with a sidebar on Macbeth), Teller explains, “Let’s face it, that play is the ultimate supernatural horror thriller…All we’ve done is bring that aspect to life.”


Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. James on February 27, 2008 11:54 am

    I loved reading Macbeth in school. It is a great read with many famous quotes that are delivered at powerful moments (if done right as you say).

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