Review: Macbeth (Octagon Theatre, Bolton)

Review by Jack McCabe

⭐️⭐️⭐️

For someone who goes to the theatre a lot, I have not yet been overly exposed to Shakespeare’s plays, having only seen a handful in the past few years. The most recent is Bolton Octagon’s production of Macbeth, a tragedy exploring how far people will go in the pursuit of power. The play invites you to consider the conflict between fate and free will. Did this production prove powerful, or was its ambition, ultimately, its downfall?

Macbeth tells the story of a Scottish general who hears a prophecy from three witches that he will become king; in his pursuit of power, he begins a murderous regime. Given it was first performed in the 1600s, it is surprising that there are some parallels with modern life. By demonstrating how unchecked ambition and the desperation for power can corrupt people, lead them to justify unethical decisions, and ultimately destroy their reputation, does that sound familiar?

Naturally, the first thing noticeable upon walking into the theatre was Rachel Canning’s impressive but underused set, designed in a way that makes the theatre look much bigger than I had seen previously. This is achieved by implementing a two-tier set which gives the impression of it being a prison-like facility, although admittedly it could also be an army camp. The set is large-scale, industrial, and impressive, and the decision to perform the play across two levels is, on the face of it, a good one; however, the second level is underused throughout the performance, which was a shame as it could have been utilised more creatively. This set is much more fitting to the battle scenes than it was to the King’s home, and sometimes it isn't immediately clear where each scene was based, although it becomes more clear as the scenes progress.

Rachel Canning also designed the costumes, which, although relatively inconsistent, are well designed. There is a mixture of army uniforms, modern-day clothing, and a selection of costumes for the witches, which certainly make them appear menacing and malign, albeit difficult to ascertain exactly what they are supposed to be. I am not too critical of the witches’ costumes because that may have been exactly the idea Canning wished to get across in highlighting the uncertainty and unpredictability around those three characters. Whilst the individual costumes are all well designed, the mixture at times feels slightly off.

Annie May Fletcher’s sound design is intriguing, taking the shape of a soundscape present throughout most of the performance, whether via sudden noises to resemble battle, undertones of melody throughout scenes, or elements of contemporary music at various stages. All of these worked well individually, but much like the costumes and set, it feels slightly like a commitment has not been made to one creative direction. Also, at points the sound does overpower the actors and make it difficult to hear dialogue, which, in a play using Shakespearean language, is not ideal.

Mark Babych’s direction is solid and commendable, as I doubt it can ever be easy to direct such a dense and well-respected play as Macbeth in a way that is well paced, relatively easy to follow, and engaging; and Babych achieves all three. He is supported by Haruka Kuroda as fight director, who fulfills his brief well, directing fights which are exciting to watch throughout the performance, albeit it is a little confusing to see soldiers who have easy access to firearms suddenly fighting with daggers. One of the most difficult tasks when it comes to directing Shakespeare is to make it feel accessible and current, with this production putting in a very good effort.

Oliver Alvin-Wilson leads the cast as the titular character, Macbeth. It is an intense and compelling performance, capturing with skill the slow descent from admired soldier to paranoid and murderous leader. The journey the performance takes the audience on, from a confident and strong man through to the darker moments in the story, is believable and well-acted. He demonstrates the inner conflict well and has the audience hanging on his every word.

Jo Mousley, as Lady Macbeth, is also strong and commanding throughout, taking the audience with her as she moves from ambition, manipulation, and ruthlessness to insanity and eventual death. Her role requires her to really traverse the contrasts between the modern and classic aspects of this production in a way that cannot of been easy and, for the most part, she accomplishes it – in one scene she presents as an everyday house-proud and dedicated wife with a love for entertaining, and in the next as a murderous and power hungry manipulator.

Whilst I have addressed some confusion about the costumes of the witches earlier, I cannot fault the performance of Josie Morley, Deborah Pugh, and Livie Dalee, who are menacing, eerie, and a thrill to watch in every scene. From the very start, they create a haunting and suspense-filled atmosphere in the Octagon, and the ability of the actors to go from playing those roles to the other roles they played in the performance is top-notch. Benjamin Wilson iss also magnificent in his performance as Ross, a nobleman and messenger whose presence could have become an understated one, but thanks to Wilson’s performance, is not. He brings humour mixed well with sincerity to every scene, and despite his character failing to carry the gravitas or plot of the main characters in this story, his performance stuck in my mind once it had finished. To achieve that takes presence, talent, and skill, and Benjamin Wilson has all in abundance.

This production of Macbeth, like the title character, is full of ambition and performed well by the cast in a way that kept the audience engaged throughout without causing issues with pace, understanding, or accessibility. Some inconsistent decisions relating to costumes, sound, and set hold the production back, but do not prevent it from being a solid and enjoyable evening.

Macbeth plays at Octagon Theatre Bolton until March 28th

For tickets and information visit https://octagonbolton.co.uk/events/macbeth

Photos by Tom Arran