Macbeth

by William Shakespeare
Donmar Warehouse, London

It might be London's coldest winter in years but this is undoubtedly the hottest theatre ticket in town: David Tennant and Cush Jumbo in Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse. 

Max Webster's production is notable firstly for its length. At just an hour and fifty minutes without an intermission, it hurtles at breakneck speed from the prophesies of the Weird Sisters to the murder of Duncan to the point of no return in Macbeth's insatiable quest for power. Many secondary speeches have been excised and it becomes almost a character study between the main couple, the darkness of their deeds playing out on a stark white stage. 

The other unique feature is the use of binaural sound technology. Each audience member is given a set of headphones and in addition to them projecting the spoken voices of the actors on stage, we get a series of soundscapes to augment the action. The result is quite remarkable. The Weird Sisters are never seen but only heard, little voices preying in Macbeth's head. Shakespearean asides are delivered as true whispers and we are privy to little sounds like the clatter of knives in Lady Macbeth's hands or the crack of a neck being snapped. This gives the play a rich, three-dimensional aural texture that almost bridges the gap between stage and film. 

What then of the performances? Tennant is certainly no stranger to Shakespeare and after having seen both his Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing, I had no doubt of his ability to tackle the Scottish play (played proudly in his native accent of course). His Macbeth shines in moments both big and small and I particularly enjoyed the iconic monologues which, due to the sound technology, could be delivered quietly and naturally. One can almost see him carefully weighing each word before it is uttered as thoughts race through his mind.  

Tennant is matched, stride for stride, by Cush Jumbo in one of the most eloquent and empathetic takes on Lady Macbeth I have seen to date. Her monologues are delivered with spectacular grit and emotion, pouring forth from the depth from her soul.  While I may not have fully appreciated the theme of postpartum depression driving her actions (there are hints throughout this production that the Macbeths are haunted by the lack of a child), her eventual descent into madness is truly moving. 

Photo Credit: Marc Brenner

There is fantastic work from the rest of the ensemble with great turns by Cal Macannich as a regal Banquo, Rona Morrison as an emotionally arresting Lady Macduff and Jatinder Singh Randhawa who delivers a thoroughly entertaining take on the Porter that gleefully breaks the fourth wall. 

On the production front, Webster, working with set and costume designer Rosanna Vize, lighting designer Bruno Poet and sound designer Gareth Fry give us a Macbeth replete with arresting and symbolic visual tableaus, from the clear bowl of water at the start which Macbeth uses to cleanse his battle wounds to the blood that balloons like angel wings around him at the end. A clear screen behind the main acting space is cleverly utilised to spotlight various characters and the costumes blend traditional Scottish garments with a modern, athletic sensibility. 

All in all, this is a tremendous Macbeth that will definitely sit up there with iconic productions by the likes of Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. A sleek, stylish take on the play that marries modern technology with a robust traditional heart.

The Crystalwords score: 4/5