MACBETH
Playing at:	MOUNT ROYAL’S SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
Plays until:	August 25, 2007
Reviewed by:	Louis B.
	FULL REVIEW
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In the theatre world, William Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth is almost as feared as it is revered.

Actors, producers and directors refer to it as The Scottish Play in fear they might invoke the curse that is supposed to accompany calling it by its real name.

The myth is that Shakespeare employed actual curses and spells for the witches scenes.

If there is a curse it certainly hasn’t been visited upon Mount Royal College’s Shakespeare in the Park’s summer production currently running in the college’s outdoor amphitheatre.

Much of the credit for a winning production has to go to director Martin Fishman who helms these summer productions of the Bard’s plays.

He doesn’t slap them up there on stage.

He has a concept which he follows from the first line to the last.

Even if you don’t agree with his ideas you respect him for having the conviction and talent to execute them.

Fishman has set his Macbeth, not in 11th century Scotland, but at any time in any place where there are power struggles that result in wars.

The actors wear military garb from various countries and various historical periods.

In a single battle scene they use swords and daggers as well as rifles and machine guns.

They talk on cellphones and listen to Ipods yet they talk about sending messengers by horseback.

It’s a fascinating concept that stresses the timelessness of Shakespeare’s play.

Fishman has coaxed solid performances from his 17-member cast and has stressed clarity in their handling of Shakespeare’s language.

Heather Lea MacCallum makes a rather fierce Lady Macbeth especially in her initial scenes.

There is a gravelly texture to her voice.

As Lady Macbeth weakens spiritually MacCallum’s voice and demeanor become less strident and she is rather pitiful in her tormented sleepwalking scene.

Her performance is nicely balanced by Martin Evans who plays Macbeth as he takes the man from doubt to resolve, weakness to strength.

In his final scenes Evans is the monster even Macbeth acknowledges.

Valerie Pearson makes a wonderful drunken porter bringing the necessary comic relief after the murder of Duncan.

Stephen Hair makes Banquo far less innocent than most actors and it works especially in this production.

The looks Hair gives Evans and MacCallum make it clear Banquo knows what’s going on which explains why he deserves his brutal fate.

Because this is an outdoor production there isn’t much room for subtlety and the actors tend to declaim rather converse but they capture the meaning and spirit of the text.

Where Fishman’s production does falter is in his handling of the supernatural aspects of the play, especially the witches who trick and manipulate poor Macbeth.

He has hidden the faces of the actors who play the three witches behind masks and presents the scary apparitions they conjure as tepid disembodied voices.

This is all the more strange considering he under uses many of the young actors in the production.

He has allowed Pearson and MacCallum to play two of the witches sending out the message he doesn’t trust the talents of the younger actors he has hired and they could have had wonderful moments as the apparitions.

Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most bloody plays yet there is not even a hint of blood in Fishman’s production.

Ribbons of red should have adorned the stage and/or the actors as the action becomes progressively more blood-drenched.

Now in its 20th season, Mount Royal’s Shakespeare in the Park runs at the college until July 30 after which time it moves to Prince’s Island Park.

Performances are free but donations are welcomed.

It’s advisable to bring cushions or blankets and, especially, mosquito repellant.