Macbeth

Two-thirds of the way through the Shakespeare Anniversary Festival, I finally had the opportunity to see the home club contribution, Darlington Theatre Players' Macbeth, directed by Festival Director Douglas Sutherland Bruce.

This is a very solid production in many senses of the word and feels very Scottish without resorting to tartans or Scottish accents.

The costuming is particularly impressive. Apparently inspired by Game of Thrones, the close to forty different costumes created by Marjorie De Caux are all multi-layered, heavy, fully-realised, well thought-out and beautifully constructed - with Lady Macbeth's wardrobe being show-stoppingly striking. Marjorie De Caux pulls double duty playing Hecate, almost unrecognisable and stunningly dressed.

I didn't realise that Perth had so many broad swords, with almost every male character wearing and often brandishing heavy, real swords. The fight choreography, by David Green (who doubled as The Bloody Sergeant) was unnervingly realistic.

Solid, impressive performances abounded. Joe Isaia was excellent in the title role, working organically with real life wife Kylie Isaia as Lady Macbeth who presented an intriguing combination of beauty and evil.

Relative newcomer Richard Hadler was a strong, believable Banquo, David Bain brought depth to McDuff and Richard Coleman made a regal Duncan.

Mentioning all twenty-eight in the cast is prohibitive, but they were all well-cast and delivered credible performances. There were an abundance of young men in their teens and twenties, with varying experience, but all convincing in their roles including Harrison McLennan (Donaldblain), Glen Bain (Ross), Ryan Marano (Lennox), Alex Sutton (Craithness), Lachlan Kessey (Fleance), Joshua Martin (Servant) and Dylan Searle and Jack Williams (the murderers) as well as Tanya Doogan, in breeches as McDuff's son. It augers well for the future of Perth theatre.

Simply set, the lighting conveyed the darkness of Scotland well, but made it a little tiring for the audience and like its stablemates, Macbeth occasionally had actors playing just outside the light. Sometimes staging wasn't helpful to the show, for those of us in the centre of the auditorium, Joe Isaia's face was obscured during key parts of Macbeth's otherwise brilliant "Is this a dagger I see before me?" speech.

This is a very well planned, good, safe and reliable rendition of Macbeth. A must-see for those studying the Scottish play and well worth the trip for everyone else.

Kimberley Shaw

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An Overview of the Rep season

Kimberley's review of The Dream

Kimberley's review of Othello

Photographer: Claire Marshall