The Real Critics Editor/Publisher
Steve Shade’s vision in his production of “Macbeth,” at the University of Redlands, was spectacular. But almost too much for the cast to handle.
The opening of the production presented a ritual for Macbeth. For war? No. For the play. The entire ensemble met in a circle of candles, blessed and ready. The ensemble spoke words that Macbeth (Nicholas Zaharopoulos) echoed, but not words just for battle, but words that concerned his future, his kingdom, his ambition. This was an interesting way to start the play because it was almost as if Macbeth beckoned the witches to him, but it also shows that Macbeth had ambition for a kingdom long before the witches spoke to him of his future.
The ritual makes the witches, and their rituals, more acceptable in this world, which allowed Shade to weave the weird sisters, and their heavy burden, into more of the play.The ritual element at the start of the show also lessoned Lady Macbeth’s (Robyn O’Dell) persuasiveness as a character. It was no longer about her manipulation of the situation, but about her pushing Macbeth toward what he already knew to do. But when Macbeth comes back from battle he does not seem to be as ambitious as the pre-war ritual portrayed, so this link was also lost.
The starting ritual created a lack of continuity; Macbeth, in particular lost his real through line as a character. He went from ambitious to modest, to ambitious, to (supposedly) manipulated, to crazy. Macbeth needs to go from an honest, hardworking soldier to a surprised and grateful Thane of Cawdor, before he meets the witches, before he becomes power hungry and ambitious.
But Shade’s Grotowski vision was truly stunning. The live African drummers, collective vocal stylings, the rake, the wall of doors and the lighting were enough to create the intensity required for Shade’s phantasm. And it was this intensity that asked a lot of the young cast; almost too much. And that’s what they are - young. It was difficult to look at some of these young men as warriors and heroes. But it is not really an issue of age, but maturity. The ensemble did not have the maturity and depth that was required of them; not only for Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” but for Shade’s magnanimous vision. The efforts put forth by the college cast were respectable, but just not convincing.
For example, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship felt juvenile and disconnected. When Dame Judy Dench convinced Sir Ian Mckellan, in the same roles, to kill King Duncan, she seduced him into it and the chemistry was instantly felt between them. O’Dell in this same scene slapped Macbeth and through a tantrum like a child. So when Zaharopoulos agreed to the plan of assassination it seemed to come out of nowhere. Lady Macbeth said “do it” and Macbeth said “okay.” That was how the scene played out. There was no real struggle, no real sexuality, no real passion for each other or their collective future.
Another element that really shaped these moments was the ensemble vocals and music. The ensemble hovered on the wings throughout the duration of the play providing music; using their vocals, in various ways, and instruments, of all kinds. And the African drummers really made the battle scenes, fight scenes and transitionary moments extremely, and aptly, intense.
The University of Redlands’ production of “Macbeth” was respectable. I expect a lot from Steve Shade productions, and I expected just a little bit more from this one. A little more maturity, a little more growth. But overall a job well done. One of the best productions of “Macbeth” in this region in the past few years.
