Director Christopher V. Edwards sent us on a literal acid trip. His adaptation set this telling in the early 1960s America when our government was experimenting with mind altering drugs on soldiers, women with post- partum depression, mentally ill patients and minorities, all without informed consent. (See MK Ultra) I was a member of the Coven, Witch 1, and we were also the MacBeths’ household staff. We were dresses as 60s housewives, innocuous, benign on the outside… but what power did we actually wield when given the tools?
So, I was Lady’s nurse after they lost their child, Witch 2 was the Gentlewoman, and Witch 3 was his faithful messenger. Hecate was also Seward. We were all ever-present in the different parts of the set – observing and taking notes.
The over-arching story was incredibly effective, using the elements of absolute fear, distrust in the government, mental illness morphed from inept medical treatment. Extremely timely, hella dark. A reminder that human beings can do far worse things to each other than any unknown entity.
And a good time was had by all!
Reviews
- https://www.leagueofcincytheatres.info/review-haunting-mid-century-macbeth-at-csc/
- https://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/cincy/cincy536.html
- https://www.leagueofcincytheatres.info/review-cscs-macbeth-is-deliciously-macabre/
- https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article/cincy-shakess-cold-war-era-take-on-macbeth/
