Macbeth, Lyric Hammersmith Review
Alex Austin (Macbeth). Photo by Richard Lakos
Written by Jenna for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
It takes a brave director to rearrange the scenes of a play that has remained as popular as this one has for centuries, but that’s exactly what Director Richard Twyman does in his reimagining of Macbeth. This production originally ran in 2023, and there is certainly a lot to enjoy about Twyman’s Shakespeare Shake-up. It opens with Macbeth regaling his wife of his meeting with the Witches over a voicemail as she poignantly folds away some baby clothes. We never in fact meet the witches; their prophecies are delivered by offstage voices, and Lady MacDuff (Bianca Stephens) takes on a multi-faceted role often appearing on stage in place of the weird sisters. This sets the tone for the production; unpredictable, contemporary and at times somewhat confusing, especially if you are familiar with the story as it is originally staged.
The set design by Basia Binkowska reminded me of a London office rather than a Scottish castle, but the strategically placed bathroom was effective, particularly as we see Lady Macbeth’s bloody descent into madness. The production also uses live recording (think Jamie Lloyd’s Sunset Boulevard) which worked well, allowing us to witness Macbeth’s vision of a ghostly Banquo (Gabriel Akuwudike) as well as some other inspired moments. Casting a young boy in the role of Fleance makes his attempted murder all the more disturbing; we also see the same young actor killed by Macbeth while playing the son of Macduff. These dramatic, violent scenes are where Alex Austin shines, as his intensity lends itself well to the more paranoid aspects of Macbeth’s character. Austin is an interesting choice for Macbeth, not coming across as ambitious and shrewd as I’ve seen in previous productions, instead portraying him as a naïve and somewhat vulnerable accomplice to his calculating wife. The effect is often that of a mouthy teenager rather than a ruthless king. Lois Chimimba is superb as Lady Macbeth, and is completely believable as his manipulating accomplice. Her chilling breakdown later in the play was a standout moment of the production for me. The Macbeths have great chemistry and their tender dance just before the interval provides a touching moment. The live bagpipes (provided by actor David Colvin, who plays Lennox) gave an eerie and haunting feel to the production which I really enjoyed.
Although there is a lot to like, overall the production felt somewhat disjointed. The play leans heavily on stylistic experimentation meaning that it lost a sense of rhythm and narrative at times. For example, Macbeth’s unexpected breaking of the forth wall in an attempt at comic relief felt odd and unnecessary, particularly as the humour is already provided brilliantly by Sophie Stone as Porter. Stone also plays Ross, using an effective combination of vocal, signed and dramatic gestures. The random addition of Malcolm singing Karaoke during her exchange with Macduff did not seem to serve any dramatic purpose, and detracted from an otherwise excellent performance by Bella Aubin who plays the gender-swapped Malcolm. However having a Queen of Scotland at the end of the play was a nice touch.
The production certainly had an interesting concept but for me it lacked the clarity to fully realise it. There were some strong individual elements that stood out and created suspense, atmosphere and comic relief, however I felt that a more focused directorial style could have helped unify the different dramatic techniques employed and sharpen the storytelling, making the overall production more impactful. Nonetheless, the talented cast and contemporary themes interwoven throughout make this a thought-provoking and enjoyable take on one of Shakespeare’s most popular works.
At Lyric Hammersmith until 29 March 2025.
★★★
