Theater Review: Shakespeare for the Modern Man – Lesson 1: Macbeth

by Mark-Brian Sonna of of MBS Productions

Shakespeare for the Modern Man - Lesson 1: Macbeth by Scott A. Eckert currently running at ICT has a very clever premise: The play Macbeth is presented simultaneously in the traditional Shakespearean English, and in the modern day vernacular. These so called “translations” serve to highlight the extreme nature of the storyline, and in the process bring out unexpected moments of humor. Macbeth is a great play no doubt, but if one were to look at the plot structure, the characters, everything is so extreme and far fetched; it really is an overblown melodrama. In the right hands it can be mined for comic brilliancy. What Scott A. Eckert has done is attempt to subvert the brilliancy of the play, much like Carol Burnett did when she adapted the film Gone With the Wind and presented it on her TV show. Carol Burnett succeeds; unfortunately, Scott A. Eckert only partially.

This production has its moments of true hilarity, so I’m not discounting the entire production. Unfortunately, the shtick gets old, and 2 hours of it is too much. By the second act, the jokes have played out, so we are left with the play being presented in a serious fashion. There are only a few moments of humor in it, including the funniest moment of the play, but it is far less comical then the first act. Because we lose most of the comedy, we are left watching the tragedy being played out in half Shakespearean and half modern English. The end result is a bit jarring, and we loose the dramatic thrust of the piece.

One device that is overused is the witches/pole dancers. Many of the scenes transition with them breaking out in to dance. The choreography by Kelly McCain is too repetitive, and it looses any appeal. The opening “dance number” was too long -- and this is coming from a reviewer who loves to watch dance. Either give us some highly complex choreography that is going to constantly amaze, or edit it down and leave us wanting more.

Since most of the roles are double cast, one can’t help but then make comparisons of the talent in acting. You have a modern Macbeth being played by Chris Dover versus the traditional Macbeth being played by Regis Allison. Chris Dover wins in this match, but not by much. Regis Allison delivers the Bard’s lines well enough; I just missed the maniacal intensity I expect from this character. Mr. Dover gets to play Macbeth as an actor stuck in a bad play, and he is able to capture those moments well. When he’s called to truly drop the melodrama and get serious, his performance fails. I don’t really place the blame on him so much as I do the material.

Julie Reinagel gets to do a modern day Lady Macbeth, and outside of initial jitters at the beginning she is convincing given the modern dialogue. In Act 2, her counterpart Mary-Margaret Pyeatt wins hand down with her intensity.

The one actor that remains interesting throughout the entire production is Charles E. Moore as the new Banquo. It helps he’s given the best lines and comedic moments. The scene in which he does a stand up comedy routine as the ghostly apparition was the highlight of Act 2 and the entire play. It’s a shame not more of the play hit these consistent comedic levels.

Part of the problem in the play was the staging. While the blocking worked, the pace was slow. The entire show clocked in at slightly over two hours. This is already an abbreviated re-telling of Macbeth, but the transitions and the line delivery were too slow and too evenly paced. It could have been tightened up more. Even the sword fights were slowly paced. Either wow us with speed, or use a staccato rhythm; each clang of the sword landed on a beat: one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, etc.

The lighting of the stage was truly magnificent. Sam Nance’s vocabulary in lighting was impressive. He added visual interest even at times when there was none to be had on the stage. It is important for lighting designers to understand how they can wow an audience, but how they must support the play. His use of light and shadow, angles, color, etc. enhanced and created moments that improved the performances on stage, and took what were weaker segments and make them visually arresting. The set by Paul Fiorella was appropriately functional. The costuming by Suzanne Crawford gets a mixed review: the women looked great and were inspired, the men were predictable. The sound design was good except for the overuse of the ZZ Top song "She’s Got Legs." I’m not sure if Scott A. Eckert is to blame for the overuse or the choreographer. Either way, it was overplayed.

The program mentions there is a Lesson 2, which will be Hamlet. I think the overall concept of the show is good. It’s just that the show is really set up for comedy, so when it turns serious, it falls apart. If Mr. Eckert could figure out how to condense this Macbeth down to one hour, and do the same with his upcoming Hamlet while keeping the subversive humor, he could play them back to back and make a whole evening of theatre and have a tremendous hit on his hands. As it stands right now, the show is weak.

I must say that I could hear a few people in the audience really enjoying themselves. So I know this play will please some, and I cannot discount it entirely. This said, there were some walk outs the night I attended. At intermission the four ladies behind me debated whether to leave. I don’t personally know these ladies outside of a visual recognition because they attend lots of theatre. They opted to stay. The applause at the end was courteous, but far from effusive. If you are Shakespeare connoisseur and you have a strong fascination with Macbeth, you might enjoy this unusual take.

Overall, this was not a horrible production, it had its true moments of genius, but it had too many weaknesses that overshadowed the evening. I guess what I’m saying is, if left as is, the play doesn’t quite work. If it were presented as a work in progress piece open for future revisions and editing, there is something worth watching here.

Purchase tickets online or by calling 972-252-2787.

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