Written by: William Shakespeare
Showing: City Lit Theater, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr
Through: Feb. 21.
Tickets: $25
Contact: (773) 293-3682 or citylit.org
City Lit’s “Macbeth” starts out thrillingly: One by one, the black-clad cast members slowly file on stage and begin to pantomime a series of ever-more dire gestures, climaxing in a frenzy. When that hurlyburly’s done, director Susan Hart segues into the anticipated opening: the first conclave of the witches. It’s hard to recall a creepier troika than Heather Townsend, Shawna Tucker and Sarah Pretz, who mumble, chant and sing in contrapuntal glory. The spell is cast, and the audience, as well as Macbeth, is caught in their snare.
If only the rest of the uneven show fulfilled its early promise. The cast tends to pause between lines instead clipping along, deadening the pace. (Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, this production nonetheless clocks a 2:45 running time.) Conversely, a few key scenes could take a bit more time but they feel rushed, like Lady Macbeth’s invocation to spirits to fortify her with cruelty. We don’t get to see enough of our crazed duo’s wild journey, goaded by power-lust into murder, then teetering back into guilt and regret. That’s partly the Bard’s fault, but it’s up to Steve Hadnagy and Cameron Feagin (as Macbeth and his queen) to fill in some blanks. Meanwhile, the curiously bloodless murders don’t feel as dreadful as they should, although Michael Sherwin gives them weight as the grieveing Macduff.
On the up side, the show sounds and looks great. In fact, more of Andrew Hansen’s fine audio effects and music would amp up the curiously bloodless murder scenes. The clever costume design comes courtesy of Branimira Ivanova, whose inventive aesthetic mashes up goth, ren-faire and industrial elements. As if all the sexy Scots weren’t enough to look at (Shakespeare goes to IML!), the three weird sisters give an especially striking visual, with their otherworldly pale faces and misshapen, semi-bald skulls.
