Macbeth: Flop Performance
Angelina Pruto
Professor Jennilyn Smith
Preforming Arts Essay
May 16, 2016
Macbeth
After hearing of the flop performance of Macbeth at the college I ventured to find another performance to critique that was of good theatrical merit. I found a performance at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company of Macbeth. It was performed on a thrust stage I got a seat on the right side middle area. I had a good view throughout and the actors seemed to understand their surroundings and their performance was accommodating to all sides of the thrust stage. As I had no prior knowledge of Macbeth or the story line going in for critique purposes I did prior research on the storyline so I could focus in on the elements of production and acting. While I’d like to note they stuck very close to the themes and dialogue as Shakespeare wrote it. Never before have I been to a performance of this at this caliber especially not in a thrust theater it was emotionally involved the scenes really jumped out and were thrusting towards us as the actors voices echoed through the theater. …show more content…
The set was impeccable throughout the designs were elaborate and encompassing of the themes of the play; it was never overbearing it was always a grand addition.
It only added to the overarching theme of this great man coming to a fall. Throughout the themes of that are shown in the set as well as the dialogue the music and sounds were very dramatic and lively. As well the logic and passion theme rears its head in the conversation between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Macbeth is the more logic filled one and Lady Macbeth is more passion filled driven and dare I say naïve she uses her feelings to guide her and she is using it in that conversation to get her husband to understand. Which personally I believe is a weak basis for an argument when you get too emotionally involved you lose your
footing. Back to that impeccable experience the actors were actually coming through the aisles while entering and exiting the stage there were instances they were also on the balcony with the audience acting. It really helped me as a viewer stay interested in such an old dialogue and an almost not relatable on a literal level plot. I felt like I could understand the dialogue and it was reinforced by the costuming the sounds the lighting all of it together I understood what was happening the whole time. The costumes were fitting of the time period they didn’t overdo it they really perfectly executed it, the makeup was natural and not the usual over done stage make up. The lighting even would mimic the costumes or the feelings of the actors there was a beautiful red that fell on the stage during the fight scenes and the music shifted to fit and I could hear the swords clash with every strike I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
The overall experience and plot was riveting and beautiful while it was an almost 3 hour production it seemed to fly by as you got to know each character and began to immerse yourself in the plot the set the costumes the music all of it. It was shockingly good from such a theater I would definitely go again if I had the chance.
Professor Jennilyn Smith
Preforming Arts Essay
May 16, 2016
Macbeth
After hearing of the flop performance of Macbeth at the college I ventured to find another performance to critique that was of good theatrical merit. I found a performance at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company of Macbeth. It was performed on a thrust stage I got a seat on the right side middle area. I had a good view throughout and the actors seemed to understand their surroundings and their performance was accommodating to all sides of the thrust stage. As I had no prior knowledge of Macbeth or the story line going in for critique purposes I did prior research on the storyline so I could focus in on the elements of production and acting. While I’d like to note they stuck very close to the themes and dialogue as Shakespeare wrote it. Never before have I been to a performance of this at this caliber especially not in a thrust theater it was emotionally involved the scenes really jumped out and were thrusting towards us as the actors voices echoed through the theater. …show more content…
The set was impeccable throughout the designs were elaborate and encompassing of the themes of the play; it was never overbearing it was always a grand addition.
It only added to the overarching theme of this great man coming to a fall. Throughout the themes of that are shown in the set as well as the dialogue the music and sounds were very dramatic and lively. As well the logic and passion theme rears its head in the conversation between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Macbeth is the more logic filled one and Lady Macbeth is more passion filled driven and dare I say naïve she uses her feelings to guide her and she is using it in that conversation to get her husband to understand. Which personally I believe is a weak basis for an argument when you get too emotionally involved you lose your
footing. Back to that impeccable experience the actors were actually coming through the aisles while entering and exiting the stage there were instances they were also on the balcony with the audience acting. It really helped me as a viewer stay interested in such an old dialogue and an almost not relatable on a literal level plot. I felt like I could understand the dialogue and it was reinforced by the costuming the sounds the lighting all of it together I understood what was happening the whole time. The costumes were fitting of the time period they didn’t overdo it they really perfectly executed it, the makeup was natural and not the usual over done stage make up. The lighting even would mimic the costumes or the feelings of the actors there was a beautiful red that fell on the stage during the fight scenes and the music shifted to fit and I could hear the swords clash with every strike I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
The overall experience and plot was riveting and beautiful while it was an almost 3 hour production it seemed to fly by as you got to know each character and began to immerse yourself in the plot the set the costumes the music all of it. It was shockingly good from such a theater I would definitely go again if I had the chance.