Saturday, May 03, 2008
The TV Guide: Macbeth does murder sleep? Make It So!
So, David and I made our way to the Lyceum Theater to see the new Broadway production of Macbeth, starring Patrick Stewart of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame. As I've mentioned before, Macbeth is my all-time fave Shakespeare play and I have been anxiously awaiting my chance to see Patrick Stewart in this particular production. Because the run is ending this month, this weekend was my only chance to see the play so last night was our night. Ye gods, y'all ... what a spectacular production it was:
I've seen a few productions of Macbeth on both stage and screen but this one has to be one of the more inventive ones. You can generally tell how good a production will be based on how the witches or weird sisters are portrayed. Since this version is set circa 1940's/Naziesque era, the witches are portrayed as creepy looking military nurses. They were really very good. You can also judge a production by the character portrayal of Seyton, Macbeth's nightwatchman/servant. If his soliloquy is actually funny, then you know you've got a great production. This Seyton (which sounds like Satan) was brills. Patrick Stewart was just incredible ... I kept wanting him to be a little bit Capt. Picard from Star Trek but he was totally Macbeth. I was very impressed with Kate Fleetwood performance of Lady Macbeth. She was really very crazed when she needed to be ... and also tender when she needed to be. It's very interesting to see how an actor portrays Lady Macbeth ... some are more reserved, some go all out ... Kate went for it and really nailed the character. The production uses sound very well (the audience is literally shocked by the booming noise) but I was most impressed with its use of video. It's hard to describe but the whole production kinda felt like it took place inside a Nine Inch Nails music video. The props use was very clever and I really enjoyed all the real fake blood use on stage. The staging of the scenes was also very, very well done ... it's not easy to make a cold, military hospital (that looked like the nasty bathroom in Saw) look like a bustling kitchen and then look like a formal banquet hall -- all by just moving around a few gurneys. I am so happy I got to see this production. I cannot urge y'all enough to see this play if you have the means and the time. The run ends in a couple of weeks. I wish I could see it again. Click HERE for an amazing write-up on the show by the LA Times. The article really covers all the production highlights of the show very well.
After the performance, I didn't get to meet Patrick Stewart, he kinda bolted for his waiting car as soon as he came out ... but he was kind enough to wave so I can't hate. Clearly the good Capt. had to rush off to deal with a Romulan incident in the neutral zone :) Later in the night, David and I met up with Darion and Matt for a few drinks at Barracuda (where I got to meet Pink reader James) and then David and I called it a night. Darion and Matt went to Splash ... I've yet to hear the tale.
This afternoon we're on our way to Brooklyn for the Cherry Blossom Festival and then for a trip to the Brooklyn Museum to check out the Murakami exhibit. Tonight is game night with David's friends ... so far, it's been good times.
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I've seen a few productions of Macbeth on both stage and screen but this one has to be one of the more inventive ones. You can generally tell how good a production will be based on how the witches or weird sisters are portrayed. Since this version is set circa 1940's/Naziesque era, the witches are portrayed as creepy looking military nurses. They were really very good. You can also judge a production by the character portrayal of Seyton, Macbeth's nightwatchman/servant. If his soliloquy is actually funny, then you know you've got a great production. This Seyton (which sounds like Satan) was brills. Patrick Stewart was just incredible ... I kept wanting him to be a little bit Capt. Picard from Star Trek but he was totally Macbeth. I was very impressed with Kate Fleetwood performance of Lady Macbeth. She was really very crazed when she needed to be ... and also tender when she needed to be. It's very interesting to see how an actor portrays Lady Macbeth ... some are more reserved, some go all out ... Kate went for it and really nailed the character. The production uses sound very well (the audience is literally shocked by the booming noise) but I was most impressed with its use of video. It's hard to describe but the whole production kinda felt like it took place inside a Nine Inch Nails music video. The props use was very clever and I really enjoyed all the real fake blood use on stage. The staging of the scenes was also very, very well done ... it's not easy to make a cold, military hospital (that looked like the nasty bathroom in Saw) look like a bustling kitchen and then look like a formal banquet hall -- all by just moving around a few gurneys. I am so happy I got to see this production. I cannot urge y'all enough to see this play if you have the means and the time. The run ends in a couple of weeks. I wish I could see it again. Click HERE for an amazing write-up on the show by the LA Times. The article really covers all the production highlights of the show very well.
After the performance, I didn't get to meet Patrick Stewart, he kinda bolted for his waiting car as soon as he came out ... but he was kind enough to wave so I can't hate. Clearly the good Capt. had to rush off to deal with a Romulan incident in the neutral zone :) Later in the night, David and I met up with Darion and Matt for a few drinks at Barracuda (where I got to meet Pink reader James) and then David and I called it a night. Darion and Matt went to Splash ... I've yet to hear the tale.
This afternoon we're on our way to Brooklyn for the Cherry Blossom Festival and then for a trip to the Brooklyn Museum to check out the Murakami exhibit. Tonight is game night with David's friends ... so far, it's been good times.
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