Being one of Shakespeare's shorter plays, Macbeth is a powerhouse of a show that runs very much like one of today's thriller movies. "That Scottish play", as it's know to anyone who has ever been involved with live theater, is probably one of my favorite Shakespearean plays. It focuses on the psychological turmoil of Macbeth, a war hero. Macbeth's wife, Lady Macbeth, convinces him kill the current king so as to take the throne for himself. Lady Macbeth suggests this because it was foretold to Macbeth, by three witches, that he would one day be king.
After having done so, Macbeth becomes so distraught with guilt that he can no longer sleep. And not just have a rough night's sleep every night, but literally stops sleeping all together. Because of this, Macbeth's mind and world begin to crumble. In his guilt, Macbeth commits multiple other crimes which just add to his fleeting sense of reality.
Macbeth really delves into the mind and humanity of man. It is a play that quite literally keeps the reader on his or her toes; constantly wondering what will come next and how much further can Macbeth go into madness. Truly, it is one of the first psychological thrillers.
About a year ago, I was in Ashland, OR for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival on a school trip. While there, we got to see multiple plays and productions being put on for the festival. Other than being one of the best weekends of my life, this weekend also yielded the best live performance I have ever seen of a straight play. Directed by Gale Edwards and staring Peter Macon as Macbeth and Robin Nordli as Lady Macbeth, this production of Macbeth was stellar and took live theater to a level I had never seen or experienced before. I've included a couple of pictures from the website because of how amazing it was.
Macbeth in the heat of battle
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth share an intimate moment upon his return from war
The witches who prophesize Macbeth's future as king
The spirit that holds the dagger with which Macbeth must kill the king
Robin Nordli in the famous Lady Macbeth scene in which she has lost her mind, "Out, damned spot!".
I give it 5 out of 5 Wildes.
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