We had high hopes for this production with Colm Feore in the starring role. But somehow it did not come together. the chemistry between Feore and Yanna MacIntosh as Lady Macbeth just did not make it out to the audience, although listening to Yanna at the seminar, it was clearly intended to be there. She is a very cool actress, and passion does not seem to be her forte. Feore is also a fairly cool and controlled actor - brilliant in many parts, (Don Juan for example) but not this one.
Many people had trouble with the fact that the play was set in modern Africa, but I actually liked that decision. Violence and tribal warfare is still with us and nowhere more obviously than Africa.
Tom Rooney was great as the Porter - the first of three great performances in the week.
What is it with Stratford and this play? It seems to me this is one of Shakespeare's more straightforward plays to perform, but Stratford has problems with it.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite version is the one we saw in New York, followed by the YPT version of some years ago (I still have to watch the Ian McKellen/Judy Dench version).
Anyway, this year's version was MUCH better than the last time they did it, but still not really there. Yanna MacIntosh and Colm Feore have to take part of the blame, neither made their character convincing, but the whole production lacked pacing and conviction.