In the Easter term there is a plethora of post-exam Shakespeare productions of vastly varying standards and, given the high competition for audience members, a good one must offer something a bit different. As the director Robert Cowlin noted in the programme, a dark tragedy was an unusual choice for a summer Shakespeare and it was this decision which gave the production a touch of originality. There was no difficulty attracting an audience either, as the turning circle was pleasantly full.

Opening Tension
Cowlin opted for a traditional, period interpretation of Macbeth, which is a difficult task. The period setting, combined with the dusky outdoor location, resulted in a production that was engrossingly atmospheric. This was established in an opening featuring traditional, haggard witches, clad in ragged black cloaks and barefooted. The witches (Emma Ashru Jones, Carly Sloane and Lorianne Burge) were thoughtfully cast as their contrasting appearances made for an interesting look. Their makeup was stunning, but unfortunately looked odd when they doubled up as servants later in the production. Their energetic, well-rehearsed chanting made for a dramatic opening scene.

The production featured luscious period costumes and impressive props: touches such as a real trumpet and authentic-looking goblets were a real find. However, some details such as modern trousers, cardboard crowns and festival wristbands were distracting and hinted at the amateur.

Vaulting Ambiton
Any production of Macbeth stands or falls on the casting of the eponymous hero, and Leo Smith was fantastic. The actor displayed effortless delivery and captivating stage presence; seemingly absorbing the iambic pentameter into his very soul. He resisted the urge to exaggerate and acted mainly with his eyes, which led to a deep and intense performance. The “is this a dagger” speech was understated, enquiring, not at all clichéd and, despite being very familiar, captivating. Smith intelligently demonstrated Macbeth’s shifting character from being under the thumb of his wife to more sinister and self controlled by making the transition gradual. All in all, a D’Oscar-worthy performance.

Behind Every Powerful Man…
Sarah Shephard as Lady Macbeth also gave a good performance and was well up to the role. Vocally strong, Shephard successfully achieved the balance of femininity and evil required of Lady Macbeth and although not as special as her husband it was a lovely performance. There was natural chemistry between the couple and the shifting dynamics in the relationship was communicated effectively by well-directed gesture. A combination of hand-holding, cheek caresses and eye contact (though all fairly typical) added up to a credible and absorbing relationship and was particularly evident in the scene when Lady Macbeth persuades her husband to commit murder.

The high standard demonstrated by the leads was, however, not always met by the minor characters. Notable performances included Jessica Burrage as Banquo, who was strong and on the ball throughout, Martin Dorset-Purkis who displayed great stature and presence as the Thane of Ross, and Charlie Dunn who achieved a brilliant fun characterisation of the Porter which really stood out and served as a breath of fresh air.

Sustained Interest
There was, on the other hand, some awkward and declamatory speech from minor characters such as some of the attendants and James Bassendine as Malcolm seemed uncomfortable and shifting in his role. Scenes featuring crowd members occasionally seemed to lack focus, making a generally fast-paced performance drag in a couple of places. However, to the production’s credit, I have never seen a production of Macbeth in which the Macduff scene did not drag towards the end. The massacre of Macduff’s children was less heart-wrenching than when it features an actual child, and the line “he has killed me mother” is always very hard to take seriously.

The production was at its strongest in creating the play’s supernatural elements: the witches and a haunting portrayal of Banquo’s ghost in which the ghost travelled through the audience holding a single candle. The use of masks and mime to suggest Banquo’s descendants was a very effective piece of physical theatre, though it would have been nice to see more examples of this developed throughout the play. More experimentation with sound effects or music could have been heightened the production’s atmosphere even further.

This Hour Upon the Stage..
Collingwood Turning Circle is a gift of a location for an outdoor Shakespeare production, and the direction fully utilised this with conversations taking place on the steps and entrances and exits from all directions- often through the audience. The downside of this experimentation was that some entrances were noticeably slow, although having seen the first performance I anticipate that this would have tightened up on subsequent nights.

Collingwood College has proved a force to be reckoned with this year with a series of very impressive theatrical productions and Macbeth absolutely followed this trend. The hill college boasts a number of very talented actors and, as the performance coincided with a visit from my Dad, I was really proud to have taken him to an enjoyable production at a high standard; representing the finest of what Durham currently has to offer. I look forward to Collingwood’s Michaelmas program.