Macbeth (center), woken from a post-party stupor, swears to catch the killer of the king, an act he himself committed. The students of Lincoln Academy tackle Shakespeares tragedy at the Parker B. Poe Theater in final performances this weekend. (Photo courtesy Jenny Mayher)
Witches, bloody daggers, and a ghost bedevil “Macbeth” at Parker B. Poe Theater this Halloween season.
A collaborative production between Heartwood Regional Theater Co. and Lincoln Academy, the live play’s final weekend runs from Halloween night, Thursday, Oct. 31 through Saturday, Nov. 2.
A youthful cast, a fast-paced script, and strong design elements coalesce into a production which feels fresh despite a text which is nearly a half-millennia old. The action never stops in this condensed version, much of the dithering and political sparring cut in favor of scenes that propel the plot (or include the witches, some of Shakespeare’s most fun characters across his tragic plays).
Supernatural themes dominate “Macbeth,” which opens with three witches plotting and prophesying. Macbeth and Banquo stumble upon these weird sisters in the woods. Macbeth loves what he hears from the scary triad and sets out to kill everyone who stands in his way, from kings to children, even his own friends and companions. The cast dwindles steadily until the final tragedy.
The stage and settings are bare to minimal, but a few small tricks and skills build a lush production. The light is filtered, the fog is heavy, and the soundscape is creepy, prompting viewers to the long time debate about these characters and how much is really real or the projections of a mind lost to madness.
The students double as musicians with live drumming and eerie vocalizations, which haunt the couple through their misdeeds. The costumes are sumptuous, the only detraction being their visible newness.
Lincoln Academy students wanted another challenge after performing “The Crucible” last year, said director and teacher Griff Braley. As “Macbeth” is part of the English curriculum at the school, several specifically requested “the Scottish play.”
The all student cast boasts 22 members, half of whom are freshman. Braley said he was not expecting such strong response to the open auditions, which were held after school began in September. While the upperclassmen with experience are strong on stage, the younger cast had to learn two things, the language of Shakespeare and how to be in a play.
Macbeth (right) descends into madness and is haunted by his victims during what was supposed to be a nice supper. Strong performances from Elias Bassett as Macbeth and Cadence Balbo Towle as Lady Macbeth anchor the current production of Macbeth” at the Parker B. Poe Theater, which closes Saturday, Nov. 2. (Photo courtesy Jenny Mayher)
Most of the cast has had less than two months to learn the vocabulary, diction, and accent – and that is just the text. As many students are performing for the first time, much of the rehearsals have been spent teaching those students how to be and move on stage, by themselves and with the other cast members, said Braley.
Elias Bassett as Macbeth, Cadence Balbo Towle as Lady Macbeth, and Felix Cunningham’s MacDuff all particularly rise to the occasion. Towles is a sophomore currently studying “Macbeth” in English class, Braley said.
Those students who have had more time with the text have a bit of a lead on students who have not yet tackled Shakespeare. The Bard enjoyed twisting the English language to his meter purposes.
Basset is one of the students who requested Macbeth. He has been studying the play since early summer and it shows in his strong grasp on a difficult text, in one instance stretching “charmed” to two syllables like a pro. Basset also manages to convey the initial waffling of a guy who wants to kill the king … but like so many husbands, it might sit on the honey-do list until his Lady gives him a big push.
Towle is excellent as a villain whose own machinations do not sit well on her mind. Lady Macbeth is most often alone with her terrible thoughts, making Towle’s performance more remarkable in that she lacked other characters or actors to play off of or look to for cues. The script could have utilized her more, but Braley’s production succinctly conveys a 400-year-old text while providing an engaging educational experience for the students. With a runtime of a crisp 90 minutes, this “Macbeth” is also engaging for an audience.
Call 563-1373 or email info@heartwoodtheater.org to purchase tickets in advance.
(Sarah Masters grew up in the woods near Lake Tahoe. She loved being a private investigator in the big city, but a Maine honeymoon showed her the way life could be. To contact Masters, email smasters@lcnme.com.)
