The Company Theatre is known for staging some of the most famous plays in the Western canon, including Shakespeare’s greatest hits like last season’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Their latest classic is the tragedy “Macbeth,” given the gothic cottagecore treatment under direction by Philip Detrick and playing at the Temple Building Theater through Feb 16.
The set, also designed by Detrick, evokes a fairy tale cave with its stone wall decorated with ivy and foliage dangling from the three entrances. Instead of musical transitions, the soundscapes (designed by John Wilcox and stage manager Bev Bauman) consist of birds and wind howls, placing the audience deep into the woods. The presence of witches and gender-nonconforming casting — many traditionally male roles are played by women — add to the fantastical world-building.
Flashing strobe lights and thunder open the play as an eclectic trio of witches (played with mischievous enthusiasm by Vicki Casarett, Jael Lopez, and Kidane Vida Malik) creeps onstage promising magic and chaos. King Duncan of Scotland (played with a grandfatherly sweetness by David Munnell) has defeated the Thane of Cawdor and plans to confer the title onto Macbeth (played with deep emotion by Carl Del Buono).
Macbeth and his friend Banquo (the amiable Caitlin Kenyon) encounter the witches and learn of their prophecy. Macbeth becomes seduced by the prospect of power and decides to kill Duncan. This leads to an evening’s worth of murder, grief, and reckoning with fate.
The production takes a stripped-down approach, with sparing use of props limited to swords for combat (choreographed by fight director Rich Steele) and a striking use of masquerade masks. This forces the audience’s attention onto the language, which is full of the Elizabethan equivalent of memes, often repeating expressions like “out, out damned spot” and “screw your courage to the sticking place” as the original knock-knock jokes.
Del Buono and Jill Rittinger, as Lady Macbeth, deliver the iconic language with the comfort and clarity of two talented actors who have done their homework. Rittinger’s Lady Macbeth is cold and calculating, as chillingly put together as her carefully tied back hair, until she’s not. Del Buono relishes the physicality of the titular role, luxuriating in the language as he performs with his whole body.
The cast is rounded out with Erin Kate Howard as the determined and noble Macduff, Campbell McDade Clay as a solemn Malcolm, the natural Prophete Andazola as Fleance and young Macduff, Sammi Cohen as Lady Macduff, and a strong ensemble including Kathryn Borden, Ian Remmers, Corrina Mullins, Kathryn Borden and Natalie Bloss.
There are a few moments of levity, most notably the red-nose clownery by Borden as the Porter, but the show is most comfortable when embracing the darkness and angst of the play. Costumes design by Brodie McPherson is largely black or earth tones with infusions of emo touches like combat boots and laced sleeves. Many characters wear their hair tied back in braids, a tidy contrast to Macbeth’s wild and loose black hair.
For all the darkness of the script, there’s a clear passion for the play that spews out beyond the stage. The lobby includes dramaturgical displays by Amy Canfield, including projections of images with quotes from the play and an original Macbeth-themed “Choose Your Own Adventure” game on a touchpad. It may be bad luck to say the name of The Scottish Play in a theater, but Shakespeare lovers are likely to find this production worth the risk.
“Macbeth” runs through Sunday, Feb. 16. More details and tickets here.
Katherine Varga is a contributor to CITY.
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2024.
