oh my blog!- Laura Darby Singh -

We went out to see Patrick Stewart as Macbeth at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. It’s been so popular that they’re actually moving it to Broadway. Who could resist? Jean-Luc Piccard playing Macbeth!?

A lot of people that I’ve spoken with have complained about the fact that this is yet another Shakespeare play with a contemporary setting. People like their traditional Renaissance settings, and their swords and funnypuffy velvet pants. Honestly, it’s not ever a change that keeps me from the Shakespeare itself. Shakespeare is about words, and the words are what’s important, not the setting. And if the “hip” setting and costumes brings a new audience? Sure! I’m all for it! Trick those tweens into appreciating some Shakespeare! Fo’ Sho’.

(It does, sometimes, pull away from the story, which I’ll mention later.)

I’ll start off by saying that Patrick Stewart was everything I’d hoped. His presence is amazing, and his acting is superb and never once did I expect him to say “ENGAGE!” Very in character, and very consuming as that character.

For me, the real heart of the story of Macbeth is the interplay between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They have, in my opinion, a very dark, seductive relationship where Macbeth is entwined by her lust (for power as much as for him) and he is thereby seduced into killing Duncan to seize the throne. The text between them is rife with double entendres.

She implies that he’s less manly, or impotent if he doesn’t kill Duncan. But it’s still all very seductive, in my mind. Sort of like killing him with kindness, she’s getting him to do something really dirty and wrong by being “dirty” and “wrong” herself.

In this production, however, the actress playing Lady Macbeth played it totally differently. She was all screamy, like “OH MY GOD, MACBETH!! KILL DUNCAN OR ELSE!! ALSO, YOU LEFT DIRTY CLOTHES ON THE BEDROOM FLOOR AND DIDN’T PUT THE TOILET SEAT DOWN!” </nag> Really loud, really annoying, and seriously, if I’d been Macbeth, instead of killing Duncan I would have gone back out with the troops for another long stay away from home.

But I don’t think that I’d actually do what she wanted, even if it meant that she’d stop being so fucking loud and pushy. On the unfortunate side, I don’t feel bad when the bitch starts going crazy. I’m sort of on the “good riddance” side. In line with my “super-connected couple” ideas, when Macbeth starts to lose it mentally, so does she and then it echoes back to him. And it’s supposed to kill him to see her losing it.

These sorts of underlying sentiments really weren’t reflected in this production. Patrick Stewart seemed… flit? at the death of his wife. He had “good riddance” all over his face. And it made me sad. Sure, their relationship is demented, but they seized power together.

I’m not sure why Patrick Stewart was dancing around after the intermission. He seemed way way way too happy. Perhaps this just comes down to a “Mark of Cain” argument: when you’re told/convinced that you can’t die, is that a good thing or a bad thing? And what are the deciding factors of your ultimate decision in that situation? I felt like there was a bit of that reflected in this production, that Macbeth believes he cannot die, but wishes it were not so, but I don’t feel like it was deep enough.

Maybe it was that Patrick Stewart and Lady Macbeth didn’t have any chemistry? Come to think of it, they sort of didn’t. I found myself wondering if Patrick Stewart really batted for the Lady Macbeths of the world, but, according to snopes, not only does he bat in that direction, but his phaser bat is “more than proficient”.

Overall, though, the acting was great. It was still an enjoyable production, though I’ll admit it didn’t resonate as much with me.

I was fond of the set design; I like how they used the sink in the front, and the elevator, and how they projected video footage onto the dirty white walls. I’ll admit that sometimes it was too much and felt a little Ringu-y, and I was looking for a dead angry wet girl to crawl up and eat Patrick Stewart, but overall the effect was cool.

Lady MacDuff’s acting was superb, as was the porter’s. Usually when you have someone playing “the drunk guy” it’s just retarded, but I felt like his delivery made it work. Although I’m not sure why he carried a saggy brown bag… it just reminded me of The Rat Man from the Maryland Renaissance Festival.

I loved that the witches were in more scenes, weaving their evils throughout the play. It’s a take I haven’t seen, but really appreciate considering their influence on Macbeth generally. They were very spooky, although I’m not sure about that Lorena Bobbit one who always seemed to be carrying some sort of meat cleaver or knife or something.

What I did not like was the Witches Rap, or whatever the last witches scene is with the famous “Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” Why was it rapped? Was Jay-Z guesting and were the beats sampled from Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and was it mixed by Gnarls Barkley? Sure, the ~~talking through corpses~~ part was a cool idea, but I know the play well and I couldn’t understand what they were saying! It pulled me out of the story, and made me laugh out loud. But the more important, pulling me out of the story, is the bad part. The witches are significant, and evil, and not some ridiculous Yo! Will.i.am Shakespeare Raps! MTV reality show.

Anyway, all in all, I did like it. The Harvey Theater at BAM was not was I was expecting (eek! Shabby chic gone hardcore! Would the ceiling hold up through the whole performance?). And it was a fun day. We all had a rainy day brunch at Moutarde and laughed and had a good time.