Macbeth -Review- People's Theatre

Macbeth
People's Theatre
Nice Swan Theatre Company

27th February 2013

From a regal royal Scottish castle to the battlefield versus the foe of the English, Shakespeare's mighty Macbeth came tumbling - albeit bloody- into Newcastle last night.

People's Theatre played host to the Nice Swan Theatre Company's production of The Bards (some say) finest work.
With power battles, greed, selfishness and over boiling emotions coming to a head, this two and a half hour masterpiece had it all, and was a fantastic spectacle.
This was the first time that I had seen the Company perform anything other than a thigh slapping musical, so it was both good and strange not to see and hear the orchestra pit spring into life with moody 'soon to die music'.

This however was where the strange ended. Every part, every scene, every bit of the production was superb. The acting from start to finish was bold, clear and very engaging.
Starting off with the three witches plotting their deceitful wrath, the first witch (Charlie Martin) was especially crazy, with eyes agog and witchcraft spilling out of her mouth.
The main protagonist Macbeth (Dale Jewitt) bowing to his far superior wife Lady Macbeth (Michaela Forbes) was excellent with his delivery and movements on stage. Every word was believable, and I am sure that the odd Shakespearean fantic inside the theatre, every word was closely follwed by them.
Jacob Anderton playing the tough but tender Macduff acted terrifically as he fought to overcome the pain and the anguish over the loss of his wife and son, again another totally believable part of the play for me.
Nice Swan regular Tom Whalley, playing Banquo was ever present in his stature on stage, as part of Macbeth's visionary downfall, Whalley certainly played his part.
I can't mention everybody on stage, but all who took part deserve a massive pat on the back.
Very well directed by Lee Rosher, production by Jamie Gray.
This is only the second time I have seen Macbeth in the flesh, the first time was a very scratchy disjointed Arab uprising affair, which took a hell of a lot of head scratching to get to grips with, but with Nice Swan you know what you are getting, you know that the skills with all involved is going to be second to none, so Macbeth second time around was well well worth it.
The play is long as mentioned, but this way you get to see, smell and almost take part in English Folklore.
Go and see it, only two performances left..!!

Macbeth runs until Friday 1st March

Michael Hunter