Macbeth Presented by the Longacre Theatre, New York (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Macbeth Presented by the Longacre Theatre, New York Lisa Robinson Macbeth Presented by the Longacre Theatre, New York. 29 March–10 July 2022. Directed by Sam Gold. Scenic design by Christine Jones. Costume design by Suttirat Larlarb. Sound design by Mikaal Sulaiman. Lighting design by Jane Cox. With Daniel Craig (Macbeth), Ruth Negga (Lady Macbeth), Grantham Coleman (Macduff), Amber Gray (Banquo), Paul Lazar (Duncan), Asia Kate Dillon (Malcolm), Maria Dizzia (Lady Macduff), Phillip James Brannon (Ross), Emeka Guindo (Fleance), Michael Patrick Thornton (Lennox), Danny Wolohan (Seyton), Bobbi Mackenzie (Macduff ’s Child), Che Ayende (Ensemble), Eboni Flowers (Ensemble), and others. The inclusion of Macbeth in the 2022 Broadway season had both political and historical reverberations, as it asked a timely question: what happens to a community when power trips take their toll? Once the audience had entered the theater, the production began quietly, with actors milling about the stage. Michael Patrick Thornton, who would play the role of Lennox, entered the downstage space to address the audience directly. This pre-performance speech sought to dispel the curse of speaking “Macbeth” in a theater space, but also to situate the composition of Macbeth in its historical context. Thornton claimed that Shakespeare wrote Macbeth in direct response to King James’s hyperfixation on the danger of witches; as England lay decimated by the bubonic plague in 1603–1604, the king instead focused on his struggles with the mysticism of witchcraft. So, when I walked into a theater after two years of COVID-19’s presence in the world, this framing of Macbeth’s historical moment made the placement of its greater narrative even more prominent in a time of great American upheaval. The production seemed to ask the audience: what does one do when power acts as the main motivator and corruptor, and how does a bystander handle the violence that follows in response? Through the creation of a vivid visual statement via extensive lighting design by Jane Cox and sparse scenic design by Christine Jones, the pain of mental and physical violence was left onstage for all to see. Without overly wrought set pieces, the minimalist set design made sure that human emotion was the largest focus of this production. Oscar-nominated actress Ruth Negga and Golden Globe-nominated actor Daniel Craig brought everything to their title roles; the intensity of their representations truly highlighted this emotional toll and the unraveling of desperation in the Macbeth family. In particular, the ways in which the production depicted both characters’ falls were quite poignant. This staging did not pit the [End Page 170] married pair against one another, but instead showed how they are both victims of the power offered to them. With the other standouts of this production, Amber Gray as Banquo, Grantham Coleman as Macduff, and Asia Kate Dillon as Malcolm, the power of Macbeth filled this theater space with thoughtful, affective questions about power in a “post”-pandemic world. When I entered the Longacre Theatre, I was confronted with a visible bare stage featuring a table downstage, with what looked to be a hot plate and a smattering of different ingredients upon it, along with a lone ghost light at center stage. The ghost light holds great importance within theater culture, as it is lit when everyone has left the stage in order to keep the spirits away. I was struck by its presence here, considering the power of spirits and supernatural entities within the plot of Macbeth. Here, the ghost light did double work by linking the theatrical superstition it serves to dispel with the superstition of uttering “Macbeth” within the theater space. This production reversed the order of the opening scenes of the play, starting with the camp of King Duncan, where the actors spoke their lines in the presence of the light. The ghost light itself was not acknowledged until one actor grabbed it, excused themselves, and dragged it upstage, where they swung it towards the wall as if to break it. When the impact was expected, a large thunderclap and flash of light occurred that plunged the entire theater into darkness. It wasn’t until that moment that the witches finally appeared and spoke their...