Review - Macbeth

Hampshire Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' delivers timely and all-too-human message

 BY ERIC SEAN WELD

From The Daily Hampshire Gazette June 29th, 2006 It's easy to understand why after 400 years 'Macbeth' remains among the most popular and performed plays by William Shakespeare. It never gets old witnessing the debauched-but-conflicted King of Scots receive his due at the hands of Macduff, whom he so wrongs. It instills a belief, no matter how ephemeral, that good does sometimes triumph over the wicked, depraved weaknesses of humans - a feeling in short supply these days, and one that will never outlive its need.

In the season-opening production of 'Macbeth' by the Hampshire Shakespeare Company, Daniel Kennedy shines in the title role. Hampshire Shakespeare opened 'Macbeth' with a preview showing last week, kicking off its 16th season. The production runs through July 9 at the Hartsbrook School on Bay Road.

Kennedy has repeatedly reiterated his comfort and agility with Shakespeare's poetic, Old English dialogue, and does so again here. His approach to the lead role is a steady descent from the heights of victory and self-congratulation to the extreme depths of greed and perversion.

The play opens with Macbeth returning from war bloodied and successful, a hero among his people. But his desire for ultimate power is piqued when he happens upon three witches who prophesy his ascension to the throne of Scotland. When he relates the prophecy to his beloved, the serpentine Lady Macbeth, the couple take it in their own hands to bring about their assumption of the throne by knocking off all who stand in their way, starting with Duncan, the current king.

Would that it were so easy. As the killings multiply and the plot thickens, Macbeth is tortured with guilt and uncertainty about what he's done. 'Blood will have blood,' he learns as one murder necessitates another. Even the vile Lady Macbeth can't wrest the feeling of blood from her hands.

In the end, despite their machinations, the couple find justice will be served.

At the direction of Chris Rohmann, Kennedy leans heavily on the conflicted aspect of Macbeth's psyche, adding depth and humanity to his character by playing up his guilt, even as he lusts for more power.

Kennedy demonstrates a deep understanding of what drives Macbeth as he gradually transforms from self-satisfied soldier to ruthless power-grabber haunted by his own deeds, and finally, in a chilling scene, to sanctimonious king as he stands alongside his queen haughtily surveying his kingdom. Some of the play's best scenes feature Kennedy alone on stage, drawing the audience in with a repertoire of easy-to-relate-to gestures and expressions. As Lady Macbeth, Mary Kearney slips on the robe of treachery, as necessary, but it's a difficult task to extricate all traces of kindness and appear truly loathsome. She is at her monstrous best when on stage with Macbeth, when she can accentuate the unfavorable contrast with her husband.

In the role of Macduff, Dan Barnes does a good job in the role of the Scottish general who suffers unspeakable victimization by the orders of Macbeth, embodying the horror and need for revenge that drives the plot home.

Rohmann's direction of 'Macbeth' is sharp and clean. He maintains the flow with constant action and seamless transitions. His choices of entrances and exits are well-placed and variant. Most importantly, amid all the movement and fast pace, Rohmann achieves a rhythmic groove with the dialogue that translates the classic story with an unrushed precision.

An interesting directional decision was to include a comical interactive interlude in the play's middle, a semi-nod to the humorous asides that typically accompanied Shakespeare's productions. A calculated interruption, the interlude departs a tad too far from the action, leaving audience members appreciative of the attempt, but content to get back to the play.

Still, the story of 'Macbeth' is one of unchecked power meeting up with comeuppance, and its message comes through clearly in this production. It's a well-timed message in today's world.