Macbeth by ACT Inc.

According to Macbeth in Shakespeare’s immortal play, life “ is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing (Act 5, Scene 5, lines 17-28),” yet despite the main characters’ dreary outlook on the dregs of life, the performance of Macbeth I attended this Saturday proved a tale told by experts, full of significance and meaning. Macbeth is a tale about a kind warrior and his struggle with fate after a prophecy decrees him the next King of Scotland, who “none of woman born” can kill. Terrible deeds, violence, witchcraft, tyranny, and bouts of dementia all ensue in this historical tragedy. In proving its significance and testifying to the wonderful way in which it is presented I will offer an assessment of the venue, the key qualities of the play, and a tidbit of information related to the intent and purpose of the company that produced it.

The Venue

Enter a tiny room more like a blackened warehouse by the graffiti covered  “Chocolate Factory” on Grand Avenue in Central Phoenix and prepare for an eclectic take on an immortal tale. The place is small and the naked stage initially makes you wonder how exactly anyone plans to present a tale of the warring kings of Scotland and their bloody successions. Everything, from the stage empty but for a single chair, to the small number of seats (limited to no more than 30), and the smiles you are greeted with by the folks at the door - all point to the fact that this is a theater company put together not by funding but by love and forestry of the imagination.

The Music

Walking into the theater evocatively called “Soul Invictus” you would never imagine that you are about to view a cast of about twenty perform a famous work of art to the tune of the most wondrous, live, medieval music. I use the word wondrous because the musical ensemble is truly something to wonder at. Each member, from a cast of four, plays up to ten instruments, sometimes three at a time, ranging from the Scottish bagpipe to oddities like the Tibetan bowl, gothic harp, drone ocarina, rain stick, and “dumbeck.” You can take patron of the arts Carson Lynsky´s word for the fact that “it was the music that really transports you out of the theater.”  The music was at times placid, peaceful, and utterly serene, yet at others evoked rampaging war and the dark art of witchcraft with surprising vehemence and accuracy, even the act of drunken peeing was artfully portrayed through the use of a rain stick. I had never heard such historically evocative music played live.

The Acting- The Witches

Throughout the play happy surprises such as the music kept mounting and there proved to be some stellar performances from the actors who played Macduff, Banquo, Duncan, and Lady Macbeth, which were all considered wonderful by my companions and myself. The single most exceptional part were the witches whose performances where so powerful and costumes so well put-together that they managed to imprint the play with the supernatural and eerie quality evident in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the best of sinister movies. The witches appear as ghostly visitations and I could devote page after page to describing their costumes and theatrics which included prosthetics, missing-eye-contact lenses, dirt-packed fingernails, cauldrons that seemed to really bubble from the sheer magnitude of their incantations, strobe lights, a drift-wood walking stick, and each and every ingredient necessary for one of literature’s most gruesome charm, elicited to the mounting tune of:

Double, double, toil and trouble;(35)
Fire burn and cauldron bubble (Act Iv, scene I)

The Acting- MacBeth

After taking in the entire play, the actor who played Macbeth proved to be the single let down. Even though his acting shone through with violent madness and splendor during some of the war scenes, he performed some of the play’s most important and soliloquies to little effect. His delusion with the dagger seemed altogether forced and “too Californian,” which the patron, who wishes to remain anonymous latter added, “he just didn’t quite pull off the Shakespeare, his accent and diction were too much like a surfer or a kid still in college, I for one would have liked to see more formality and hardness from the guy who played Macbeth.”

The Acting- Lady Macbeth

Lady Macbeth was “surprisingly good,” according to patroness Bree Shinkle, because  “I honestly wasn’t expecting that type of serpent-like venomous evil to come from that otherwise dainty and very pretty lady.” Lady Macbeth was one of my favorite parts too because she displayed an incredibly wide range, from proper and regal to cruel and ultimately tragically demented in the short time she was on stage. There was a particular scene in which she suffers from dementia and keeps compulsively washing her hands only to end up covered in blood- both the acting and theatrics displayed amounted to a dramatic scene both visually and emotionally charged.

The Acting- Duncan, Banquo, MacDuff, and other characters

If there was one outstanding element from the rest of the cast it would have to be the quirkiness of the ensemble. The ages and appearances of other characters and warriors ranged from an older bearded man with a rich and deep voice perfectly suited to play the king to a slightly chubby, bespectacled, and pubescent teenager for the role of Malcolm. Other characters like Fleance and Young Macduff were played by actors so incredibly young, believable, and professional (a kid of about twelve remembering all the lines, in perfect Shakespearean English), that a certain charm and honesty shone through and illuminated the room. It was in this particular mix of seasoned thespians and newcomers that I found one of the most redeeming aspects of the play, and a novelty worth taking a trip down to Phoenix for.

Use of blood

Upon exiting the theater, patroness Bree Shinkle’s first exclamation “well that was the most effective use of blood packets I’ve ever seen,” rather sums up the general feeling in the audience. The program offered at the theater delves even further into the use of blood and offers an explanation related to its historical significance: “With so many candidates [for kingship] from such a variety of family lines, it was often a very bloody and violent succession process. The use of blood in our show is meant to symbolize that violent process.” I decreed the use effective when I realized my favorite white jeans had been smeared with fake blood during the show and decided that I don’t care, I hope it washes off, but sitting in that front seat was definitely worth it. 

The company

What I enjoy most about this theater company called “Arizona Curriculum Theater” is its mission to “bring classical literature, arts, history, sciences, and mathematics to life in classrooms and libraries” in a spirit of using “the power of the arts to promote literacy, engage students, and make education more fun and accessible.” The company features many small-scale productions throughout the year such as a Halloween themed Edgar Allan Poe “fest” and Christmas yuletide spectacular. The passion for theater and dedication I always see the company display inspires me to keep attending, spread the message, and recommend.

Sources

"About Us." Arizona Curriculum Theater, Inc. Web. 24 Jan. 2012. <http://www.curriculumtheater.com/about.html>.

"Arizona Curriculum Theater Inc. | Facebook." Arrizona Curriculum Theater Inc. 26 Jan. 2012 <http://www.facebook.com/actinc>.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Phoenix: Arizona Curriculum Theater, 2012.

Anonymous. Personal interview. 22 Jan. 201 1

Lynsky, Carson. Personal Interview. 22 Jan. 2012

Moreno, Matthew. Personal Interview. 22 Jan. 2012

Shinkle, Bree. Personal interview. 22 Jan. 2012