Review by Liz Baldwin
Macbeth (An Undoing) at Malthouse Theatre is an experimental reworking of the classic Shakespeare tragedy. It’s an ambitious feat, but ultimately doesn’t quite deliver on its promise of reimagining the text and the characters within it.
Macbeth (An Undoing) was written by Scottish playwright Zinnie Harris and presented in 2023 at the Lyceum in Edinburgh. This production at the Malthouse Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director, Matthew Lutton, is its Australian debut. The play seeks to rewrite the ending of Shakespeare’s original text, interspersing it with ‘lost fragments’ and direct appeals to the audience.
The first act proceeds more or less along the same lines as the source material, with more depth and shade added in places.
One of the most notable, and successful, changes is the reimagining of Lady Macduff. Harris casts her as Lady Macbeth’s sister/cousin, resentful that Lady Macbeth only calls her a sister when convenient. And she hints at Lady Macduff’s unhappiness in her cold marriage, which she escapes in an affair with Banquo. Jessica Clarke performs well bringing this character to life, although she is occasionally let down by the text, which veers haphazardly between mock-Shakespearean language and contemporary vernacular.
Another excellent addition was the increased focus on the ‘weird sisters’ and servants who near-invisibly shape the nobles’ lives. A short scene of servants cleaning up after a party, speaking about the invisibility and mystery of their work to their employers, was particularly effective. humorously questioning if their employers believe they hover through the air.
Natasha Herbert is engrossing as a weary Carlin, a weird sister and Lady Macbeth’s long-suffering servant. David Woods was another standout performer as Macduff, commanding the stage with a powerful presence, embodying the character with a sense of authority and gravitas.
The second act diverges more significantly from the original text, creating new arcs for Lady Macbeth. Here, she is depicted as desperately longing for a child, but it is Macbeth, not she, who isdriven mad by guilt. Bojana Novakovic portrays an actor fighting to resist Lady Macbeth’s fate, but who ultimately cannot defeat the weight of the original narrative.
However, not all performances hit the mark; in key moments, particularly with both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, the delivery felt a little flat. This was an odd choice for such a well-known play, which still spent a lot of time (and relied for momentum) on Shakespeare’s scenes. The ‘undoing’ would have been more powerful if the ‘doing’ were flawless.
The production’s creative direction of the production is consistently strong. Dann Barber’s rotating set of imposing grey walls evoke the cold expanses of a castle, yet could also be the polished concrete of a contemporary arts building. The duality works for a play that so often breaches the fourth wall. And Jethro Woodward’s sound design is echoey and moody, adding to the ambience.
Covering ground as well-trod as Macbeth is never easy, and Macbeth (An Undoing) has some strong elements. But ultimately, the pieces don’t quite come together to create something profoundly new.
Image Credit: Jeff Busby