Review: Macbeth

(photo via Facebook)

Macbeth satisfies and stuns at Monument National

It IS a dagger...

by Rebecca Ugolini

Superstition holds that it’s the play whose name dare not be spoken, but the Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company isn’t afraid to tempt fate. Their production of The Scottish Play is graphic, visually-arresting, and haunting, imbuing the famous play with new energy all the while screaming “Macbeth!”

Audience members sit on the periphery of all four sides of the square stage, either level to the action or watching over the railings of the balcony seating above, like spectators crowding a boxing ring from every angle. Thanks to directing by Aaron George, dynamic fight choreography by Paul DeTourreil, invigorating, dramatic, and almost tribal drumming by producer, percussionist, and set-builder Ace Lopes, and the eerie, cult-like movements of the production’s 12 Weird Sisters choreographed by Amy Blackmore, Montreal Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Macbeth feels appropriately frightening, claustrophobic, and mad.

Review: Macbeth

The Play Which Dare Not Speak its Name
...theatre with the best intentions...
by Émilie Charlebois

Sunday Feature: Paul Hopkins on creating Macbeth

Notes on Building Macbeth

Paul Hopkins, Repercussion Theatre’s Artistic Director, will be playing the lead role of Macbeth for this summer’s Shakespeare-in-the-Park tour.

This collection of notes I’ve written is a musing on my experiences building Macbeth’s character over the past how-many-ever months. Everything I write may not be true. Everything I write may not even make sense. This is just intended to be a collage of consideration.

‘Horrid Image’ vs. ‘Nature’  – that’s fucked! How is anyone in the audience supposed to get that the Horrid image is the murder of Duncan. What’s the horrid image to me? I think ‘nature’ is the thought of actually the murdering someone is repellent, against nature – if you really think about it, the actual act of it.

The Upstage Interview: Karl Graboshas (Repercussion's Macbeth)

Slide show of rehearsal shots of Repercussion's Macbeth

Banquo Speaks


Upstage Host Eric Sukhu spoke with Karl Graboshas, one of the actors in Repercussion Theatre’s Shakespeare In The Park's Macbeth. Below is an abridged version of interview edited by Estelle Rosen, CharPo Editor-in-chief.

UPSTAGE

Is this your first time performing with Shakespeare In The Park? 

GRABOSHAS

First time with Repercussion Theatre.  Have done Shakespeare In The Park in Toronto.  Excited and having a lot of fun. 

Theatre For Thought, July 22, 2011

That Scottish Curse!

ssssssssssh

joel fishbane

While Harry Potter fans flock to see the final battle between Harry and You Know Who, Montreal audiences are preparing to face their own dark lord whose name cannot be said. Next week, Repercussion Theatre will premiere Shakespeare’s Scottish play, a work so cursed that just by speaking its name (or writing it, as the case may be), I would risk bringing forth grave harm and ill-fortune. The most clear-headed actors I know tremble before the power of this curse, referring to the play as “Mackers” and spitting over their shoulders whenever someone inadvertently quotes from the text. 

Over at Repercussion, Paul Hopkins and Co. are cautiously optimistic: although director Arianna Bardesono came down with the chicken pox during rehearsals, the rest of the production, according to publicist Greg Stone, has been blessed (that’s his word, not mine).  Still, one can only hope the cast and crew are taking precautions to defeat the evil eye, which has loomed over the Scottish play for almost four centuries. Since its first production in 1606, those involved with Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy have been maimed, strangled, burnt, killed and / or crucified by the critics. The very first actor to portray the title character’s wife took fever on opening night and had to be replaced by Shakespeare himself. 350 years later, Diana Wynyard, in the same role, walked off the stage and fell fifteen feet.

CharPo's Picture of the Week, July 21, 2011 (Video)

Valerie Baron and Greg Stone's rehearsal shots from the upcoming

Repercussion production of Macbeth

CharPo's Picture of the Week, June 23, 2011

A glorious picture from the upcoming Repercussion tour of Macbeth (with one of the most attractive Macbeth couples we've ever seen!).