Macbeth, A Review Essay - 793 Words

As a virgin to The Shakespeare Theatre, I was pleasantly surprised when my recent encounter with Macbeth was a stimulating and enjoyable excursion. The two and a half hours I had predicted to be less than enchanting were filled with symbolism, and an overall attitude towards the Shakespeare classic that I had never contemplated before. Upon entering the theatre, the audience was confronted with a stark stage, boasting only a large hollow cube with a single, leafless tree standing alone within it. The stark set was relatively consistent throughout the play, allowing the audience to focus on the characters. Another effective set design choice occurs when Macbeth was crowned King, and he and Lady Macbeth sat down on their throne. The†¦show more content†¦Another interesting choice Kahn made was the staging of Lady Macbeths death as a focus in the second act. Normally only hinted at in the final scene, Kahn chose to portray Lady Macbeths brutal suicide outright, instead of just leaving it up to the audience to infer. Notable performances from supporting actors were given by the three witches, and the young boy who took on the role of Fleance (Samuel Bednar Schachter). The witches, whose screeches and swaggers truly transformed them into creatures not of this earth, were enhanced by the shadows and lighting used during their scenes, as well as the strobe light in the opening of the play. The role of Fleance, more commonly interpreted as a young man, was played remarkably well by a boy no older than twelve. His initial entrance alone was enough to start the wheels turning in the minds of the audience, as many were forced to alter previous notions of a much more mature Fleance. Despite his age, he was still convincing and effective in maintaining the importance of his role, especially in the final scene, where he is incorporated to be the last image visible before the curtain falls. The porter (Ted Van Griethuysen) also took on a memorable stage presence when his brief comic relief gave the audience a necessary break from the intense emotions circulating amongst all of the other characters. In addition to the actorsShow MoreRelatedMacbeth Book Review809 Words   |  4 PagesLadan Abdullahi Macbeth’s Destiny: The Tragedy of Macbeth Review William Shakespeare is a playwright and actor born in April 1564. William, a wealthy landowner who lived in Stratford upon-Avon, married Anne Hathaway and had three children. In 1623, Shakespeare published The Tragedy of Macbeth. Whilst researching for Macbeth, â€Å"Shakespeare found a spectacle of violence- the slaughter of whole armies and of innocent families, the ambush of noble by murderers, the brutal execution of rebels. 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