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THE INDEPENDENT
15 Sep 2006
Mad Dogs and Englishmen is a Norfolk-based theatre company without whom the summer in many smaller places, mainly in the south of England, would be the poorer. Under the direction of Ann Courtney , who also performs, they tour with a classic play, often Shakespeare, the minimum of props and a small cast. The venues are typically outdoors and the company normally performs at each location for only one night.
Many theatre companies seem to consider these constraints should place restrictions on their repertoire. Mad Dogs don't. In recent years they have produced Hamlet and Henry V, as well as Moliere's The Hypochondriac and the more predictable Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night's Dream. The productions are musically strong, often with a specially commissioned soundtrack.
Macbeth with a cast of seven is very brave. As the supposedly "easiest" and most accessible of Shakespeare's tragedies, it conjures up images of witches, battlefields and action
In this production, three stylised fighting men metamorphose into witches and back again. Every actor, with the exception of Philip Keiman as Macbeth, plays more than one part. This can create some incongruities, as when Kieron Attwood leaves for Ireland as Donalbain, only to reappear within seconds as Rosse. The effect is to throw more emphasis on to the words and the motivations, and Macbeth performed this way emerges as a richer play than in many productions
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Macbeth (William Shakespeare) |
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Macbeth has many good qualities, he is brave, noble, loyal and one of the best soldiers Scotland has fighting for it. A country’s future will rest in his hands and he appears to best the best man for the job. So how does his soul descend into the darkness of evil?
This terrifying story tells of an individuals potential to commit numerous horrors and how his own moral sensibilities are crushed under the weight of his own acts.
The Natural meets the Supernatural and combines to pervert human values. A story that remains as relevant today as it has ever been.
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Cast and Crew |
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Kieron Attwood:
Rosse / Witch / Murderer / Fleance / Donalbain / Messenger
Nick Murray Brown:
Duncan / Doctor / Messenger / Lennox
Adam J Carpenter:
Malcolm / Porter / Witch / Son of Macduff / Murderer
Ann Courtney:
Lady Macbeth / Lady Macduff
Marcus Houden:
Banquo / Gentleman
Philip Keiman:
Macbeth
Mark David Nash:
Macduff / Witch / Captain / Murderer / Messenger
Production Team
Ann Courtney:
Director
Kaja Holloway:
Administrator
Mark Lancaster:
Production Manager / Fight Choreographer
Declan Pattison:
Stage Manager
James Payton:
Designer
Andy Taylor:
Composer
Mad Dogs & Englishmen would also like to thank the following people without whom this production would not have been possible:
James Payton
Francis Potts
Sara Potts
Sue Warren
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Why does this honest, loyal and brave man degenerate so rapidly into a craven traitor? The witches cannot be seen as a purely external force. One actor, Ann Carpenter, as both Lady Macbeth and Lady MacDuff, turns a perpetrator into a victim and then murders them both.
Macbeth, convinced of his own invincibility, overcomes his early scruples as his friends are either murdered or desert him. His utterly predictable end comes as he listens only to himself and the witches. Is it coincidence that he is the only actor to play his part with no trace of a Scottish accent?
The music for this production was written and recorded by Andy Taylor and sung by Ji Hye Kim. It has a relentless beat and a haunting quality that perfectly fits the production. It also deserves to be more widely heard.
For those whose idea of Macbeth as a play is one of blood, guts and gore interspersed with witches and a ghost, this is a production to avoid. For those who prefer a more thoughtful interpretation, it is one not to miss.
Caroline Want
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