The genius of Shakespeare is in the details. Many theater companies have tried to make their productions both relevant and historically accurate by paying attention to the intricacies of Shakespeare's vision.
In the 15th century, audiences were both challenged and entertained by Shakespeare's innovative characters and plots. His memorable lines are so often referenced in modern times because they are true in any day and age.
As student theater group Shakespeare on the Lawn prepares to present Macbeth to the University community, they are hoping that the Bard's attention to detail will be enjoyable for 21st century audiences as well.
Shakespeare on the Lawn (or SotL) was started by a group of students who believed more people should have the opportunity to witness the enduring playwright's histories, comedies and tragedies. Since the University's Drama Department rarely performs Shakespeare, SotL has gained attention as a free avenue for students to see the Bard's works as they were intended to be experienced.
Director Chris Riedel said that he wanted to present Macbeth this year because SotL has performed many of Shakespeare's other major tragedies, including last year's Romeo and Juliet. One of the challenges of performing Shakespeare is in the production choices, since the playwright recorded very little stage direction. Riedel decided to set the play when the real Macbeth reigned in the Dark Ages but to include elements of Shakespeare's era.
"Macbeth explores what it means to be evil," he said.
Although the significance of true evil is a common theme in Shakespeare's plays, Macbeth offers more possibilities for artistic choices by the director.
"There are many opportunities for special and dramatic effects," Riedel said.
For example, in the well-known witches' curse scene, their bubbling caldron will be represented by a smoking grid on the floor of the stage.
The witches first appear at the beginning of the play, when they prophesize to Macbeth, subordinate to King Duncan of Scotland, that one day he will replace Duncan on the throne. When other parts of the witches' prophesy come true, Macbeth and his ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, put into motion a series of events that will make him king and eliminate his adversaries.
Although Macbeth is the one who will become King, Lady Macbeth urges much of his action. Like many of Shakespeare's female characters, Lady Macbeth appears subordinate to her male counterparts but reveals her true power over the course of the play.
Although the cast was still rehearsing last week, second-year College student Megan Smith is already impressive as Lady Macbeth. She has a commanding presence on stage, and her delivery of insults to Macbeth's masculinity is particularly biting.
Smith said she is intrigued by her character's ambitions.
"She gambles everything on a play not just for power but for one last shot at possible happiness," Smith said.
Lady Macbeth's guilt over her crimes eventually, however, eliminates her aspirations for power, which makes "her previous strength begin to look more and more like weakness," according to Smith.
Fourth-year College student Jack Cooper has a very animated face as Macbeth. The audience is able to follow Macbeth's journey into insanity as well his moments of regret simply by watching the distortions of Cooper's expression. Cooper's and Smith's intense performances are sure to increase the drama of the plot.
Any thespian will tell you Macbeth is a cursed play. According to legend, anytime the name of the play is mentioned in the theater, unfortunate accidents occur. Theater people are expected to instead refer to it as "the Scottish play" to avoid disaster. SotL itself experienced the curse last year, when an actor was injured after uttering the title during a performance of Romeo and Juliet. Supposedly, this curse originated because the witches' chanting of "Double, double, toil and trouble" is an actual black magic spell.
With a legendary curse, elements of comedy lying underneath the drama, and some of Shakespeare's most ambitious and complex characters, producing Macbeth is a complicated affair. A drunken porter, played by second-year College student Cheech Pan, uses his bottle to illustrate his comments on the negative sexual side effects of alcohol. SotL's production will also include broad swords to be more authentic to the eleventh-century setting.
SotL is hoping the notorious curse will not apply to the finer points of its production. In Shakespeare's world, it's all in the details.
See Calendar on page 11 for show time, location and other information.
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