Irish Company Strikes Gold With Bard's Scottish Play
There’s a brave streak at Theatre Banshee that admits no fear of tackling great plays that automatically bring on the scholarly criticism of those who would call themselves experts. Banshee tends to specialize in Irish plays, as its name suggests, tackling old and new masterworks in that genre, but shows no fear of attempting the works of classical and current playwrights. Shakespeare’s ‘Scottish Play’, a Celtic-tinged, blood-spattered horror play, full of magic and mayhem, romance and swordsmanship, greed and appetite, rot and corruption, falls well within the boundaries, if there are any, of the theatre’s natural choices.
Those who fear Shakespeare tend to take a pass on plays they fear they won’t understand – Shakespeare’s oeuvre being so broad that one never has to graduate beyond “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Twelfth Night”, “As You Like It” and “Romeo and Juliet’ to be able to say they know their Shakespeare and have no qualms about going to see a production, but not the tragedies, or the history plays, of course, “because they’re so boring”.
I defy anyone who sees Sean Branney’s production of “Macbeth” to use ‘Shakespeare’ and ‘boring’ in the same sentence. In fact, I found the play to be chilling and thrilling, vital, witty, uplifting, moving and a wonderfully gory delight, glorious and heart breaking at the same time. I was moved to recognition, laughter, admiration, empathy, nail-biting terror, and real tears during the 2- 1/2 hours of the play; in fact almost forgetting that I had left my trusty pillow, my usual seat companion, at home that night.
As a director, Branney seems to have absorbed the play into his innards and, without resorting to tricks, or massive cuts, or modernization, passed his absorption along to his excellent cast of actors, who have obviously breathed in his love and comprehension of Shakespeare’s wonderful language and dropped their fear of not understanding its archaic, somehow magical, rhythms. As they are fluent, so clarion is the audience’s hearing. I’m sure in many cases, when asked why they chose to go see a Shakespeare play, most of the Banshee audience would say, “What’s not to understand?”
Andrew Leman, veteran Banshee actor, is superb as the troubled Macbeth. From the loyal Thane of Fife, when we first meet the warrior hero in his confrontation with the three witches on a blasted heath in Scotland, Leman takes his character from honorable soldier to ambition ridden murderer, to guilt-ridden madman, to his final damnation at Dunsinane at the hands of Macduff, and makes us believe ever minute of it. This is a gigantic performance. McKerrin Kelly is also fine as Lady Macbeth, a sexy kitten of a wife to the big bold warrior, but firm and dangerous in her resolve to wear the crown of Scotland’s Queen at whatever cost. Add to the mix an exceptional Brian Danner as Macduff, who brings us to actual tears as he mourns the murder of his wife (an effective Rebecca Marcotte) and family. Danner i s responsible also for the terrific fight choreography. Shakespeare often kept his bloody clashes off-stage, but then he didn’t have Brian Danner around to stage them. The bloody clashes between the warring tribes at the beginning and end of “Macbeth” are extensively and realistically choreographed by Danner, and have the audience wincing and dodging broadsword blows and clanging shields – some of the best fight choreography I’ve ever seen. Outstanding as Malcolm, who wins the kingship after Macbeth’s death, is Daniel Kaemon, who has the voice, the comprehension, and the stature of a young Laurence Olivier, and he’s gorgeous besides.
Rebecca Wackler, Kacey Camp and Annie Abrams are nicely fantastic as the three witches; David Pavao as Seyton, Carl Palmer as the disenchanted Banquo, who comes back to haunt Macbeth, to mention only a few of the talented and disciplined actors on Banshee’s stage; all share honors for Mr. Branney’s searing production. Arthur MacBride’s stark set design of towering stone panels grandly backs up the swarming activity on stage, well lighted by Michael Mahlum, and stunningly decorated by Christy M. Hauptman’s elegantly-made period costumes. That’s not to forget the stirring music of The Wicked Tinkers, a Southern California Band that utilizes tribal drums, bagpipes, a didgeridoo and a bronze age Irish horn to back up the mise en scene.
It’s a quick ride up Hollywood Way to Magnolia, then a short right and you’re there at Banshee’s delightful home. Go see it; you’ll be glad you did.
Reviewed by Madeline Shaner for the Park LaBrea News/Beverly Press
‘Macbeth’ is heart-pounding show
“Macbeth,” as brought to us by Theatre Banshee in Burbank, is a thrilling, juicy tale of power, ambition, guilt and back-stabbing.
Sounds like a season finale episode of “Dynasty” but it’s much, much more. This one has to do with kings and ancient Celtic supernatural lore. This one is written by a man commonly believed to be the world’s greatest dramatist. And this one features living, breathing, fighting, spitting actors.
Ah, live Shakespeare done well! When I mentioned to a friend that I was going to see “Macbeth,” she said, “Oh, that’s one of the boring ones.”
I admit Shakespeare can be grueling when you can’t figure out what they’re talking about. But good actors, like the ones at the Banshee, know how to punch up the plot-driving lines and then entrance you with the more flowery exposition. Things move at a dynamic clip in this production and it is not only easy to catch the drift of what’s going on, the audience is on the edge of their seats awaiting the next stunning development.
For those who would like a scene-by-scene explanation of the action, arrive a little early and read over the synopsis available at the box office. Or for an even briefer synopsis, read on. Three witches tell Macbeth, a general in the Scottish army, that they foresee him becoming king and that his fellow general Banquo will bear a line of kings.
He writes this news to his wife, Lady Macbeth, who then plots to kill the king when he comes for a visit to their castle. Lady Macbeth has to continually strengthen her husband’s resolve to do the dirty deed. He finally succeeds in his mission, also killing the prime suspects in the case to cover his tracks.
Macbeth and his wife become king and queen as predicted but decide they’re not as happy as they thought they’d be. Still, Macbeth can’t sleep till Banquo, the bearer of future kings (per the witches) is dead. He feels increasingly bad and a bit crazy after having his best friend killed.
He visits the Weird Sisters again to get a prophecy update. After learning of new dangers ahead, he’s a wild man now, racked with guilt and worry and suspicion, and killing anything that stands in his way.
You hooked yet? I won’t tell you the ending. You’ll have to go see it. Andrew Leman is a wonder as Macbeth. His fidgety nature lends itself well to Macbeth’s increasing anxiety. He gives him a sense of pathos that you might not see in other productions.
Macbeth starts off as a decent enough guy, fighting for his country and his king. But given just a sip of potential power via the Weird Sisters’ prophecy, the ambitiousness starts to grow in his belly, is watered by his unscrupulous wife until it takes over his body and mind like creeping ivy, imprisoning him in guilt and strangling his sanity until he becomes a murderous monster.
This is perhaps how all evil-doers are created. There is not one weak link in the cast of 19. Each is accomplished in their line delivery, timing, spatial awareness and, when called for, sword-fighting skills.
Standing out though are Rebecca Wackler as the first Witch, Brian Danner as Macduff and McKerrin Kelly in that juiciest of roles, Lady Macbeth. She has commanding presence and does a great job manipulating her husband.
However, I could not get over the fact that, compared to the traditional ancient Celtic look of the set and the other actors, Kelly looked so contemporary. Even in her bell-sleeved gown, particularly with her bangs down, she looked like she was going to the mall.
The scenic design and the costumes played a major role in making this production work so beautifully. It’s not easy to make a small theater seem as large as it did, especially with seven actors on stage, fighting to the point of breathlessness with long swords.
Arthur Macbride’s idea of recreating a Scottish Neolithic site similar to Stonehenge was inspired and surprisingly versatile. The dolmen-topped burial chamber acted superbly as a table or other prop and the standing stones could be back-lit for dramatic effect.
I was slightly uncomfortable however, when actors would enter and exit through dark curtains and come precariously close to tipping over “stones.” The costumes looked custom-made by designer Christy Hauptman and were highly creative, yet of the era.
The witches looked suitably freaky in their outfits, the ladies, regal and the fighting nobility in their uniforms featuring various configurations of leather, felt and brass looked, let’s face it, hot.
One other wonderfully creative touch is the inclusion of music by a Southern California band called the Wicked Tinkers. Their evocative, tribal sounds mimic the pulse-raising energy of the drama.
“Macbeth” is definitely a tragedy and a serious look at what power can do to a person. But I love that the folks at the Banshee, especially director Sean Branney, is not afraid of a little humor.
When Macbeth returns to see the witches a second time (the “Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble” scene), he is presented with three apparitions.
The props and puppetry they use for this effect verge on the ridiculous but the desired reaction of open-mouthed wonder and delight is obtained. There are other examples of this tongue-in-cheek attitude but I don’t want to spoil the fun. Sure, there are a few slow scenes, especially the conversations among the noblemen, but the Bard had things he needed to say about life and death in those scenes.
There are also a slew of memorable lines in Macbeth such as, “Out damned spot!” and “Is this a dagger which I see before me?”
But don’t go see this play because you think seeing a little Shakespeare is good for you. See it because it’s a juicy, heart-pounding, aggressive story done with passion and gusto.
Reviewed by Lisa Dupuy for the Glendale News-Press
Macbeth
If Macbeth is more dramatic comfort food than the high-wire act of King Lear, that's no knock on those brave enough to attempt it. Director Sean Branney and Theatre Banshee infuse this production with equal parts gore, eeriness, torment, and cruelty. Swords clang lustily against shields in the play's opening and closing battles. (Brian Danner, who also plays Macduff, is the fight choreographer.) The play is, after all, very much about the call to war.
It's also about a once-great man at war with his inner demons. And in Andrew Leman, Branney has an actor who can smoothly show the effects of that battle. Leman's Macbeth is a war-tested thinker who seems to be contemplating a path to higher office even before the witches assure him it's going to happen. The murders he's forced to commit to that end give him no pleasure, and by the time he's in tyrannical self-preservation mode, this Macbeth is snarling at his victims. The actor's misty-eyed delivery of the "sound and fury" speech following his Lady's death is particularly affecting. McKerrin Kelly's Lady M is every bit the driving force of the couple, a woman who gets a sexual charge out of plotting and executing a murder but can't enjoy the ill-gotten fruits of her labor. Kelly nearly tears her flesh off trying to "out spot" her hands during the sleepwalking scene.
The three witches (Annie Abrams, Kacey Camp, and Rebecca Wackler), who take up the bulk of Branney's program notes, peel themselves out of boulders that could double as sleeping bags. Their hunger for Macbeth appears to have an erotic tinge as well. Power is clearly an aphrodisiac for those who can get it and for those who can bring it about for someone else.
Branney has staged the action on a monolithic, Stonehenge-like heath designed by Arthur MacBride, which works especially well for the appearance of the ghostly apparitions. Thunder rumbles and the highland strains of the Wicked Tinkers underscore the action.
Reviewed by Evan Henerson for Back Stage West
Forget radically deconstructed concept productions or contemporary political reinterpretations, director Sean Branney delivers no such surprises in his traditional and somewhat generic staging of Shakespeare’s Scottish noir. With the text more or less intact — even the oft-cut first witches’ scene remains — Branney’s most brazen liberty is to goose the testosterone with the kind of onstage swashbuckling (choreographed by Brian Danner) that Shakespeare had intended be played offstage. Otherwise, this bard is strictly by the book. The good news is Andrew Leman’s muscular, articulate turn as brave Macbeth. Leman’s performance is nobility personified; which is to say his regal demeanor is only occasionally ruffled by the underlying corruption of a “vaulting ambition” that will turn Macbeth, after Richard III, into Shakespeare’s most notorious regicidal maniac. As the play’s invidious femme fatale, McKerrin Kelly complements Leman with a Lady Macbeth who makes even icy ruthlessness seem sexy. Other standouts include Daniel Kaemon’s dashing Malcolm, and Mike Dalager and Danny Barclay, whose pair of scurvy-chic Murderers looks like they stepped out of a Guns N’ Roses video. For the rest of the cast, costume designer Christy M. Hauptman eschews highland tartan for robes of a more indeterminate, medieval kind. That nonspecificity is continued in the raised stone altar and hengelike monoliths of Arthur MacBride’s set, whose suggestion of Neolithic pagan ritual may be a clever design for Macbeth . . . not, however, for this one, which never otherwise hints at such themes.
Reviewed by Bill Raden for the LA Weekly
|
