Review by Avery Dall-Hilton, Front Row Reviewers
Though traditionally seen as an omen of bad luck, director Joey Wright and his cast and crew brought down the house with their three-day production of the classic Shakespeare play, Macbeth. The tale well known to frequent theatregoers and the everyday person alike, Shakespeare’s masterpiece of power and ambition is brought to life in sharp relief at Brigham Young University’s Black Box Theater. The tragedy of the Scottish king has been told countless time, but this Front Row Reviewer has never seen anything quite like this stirring performance. With a cast of not only talented actors, but also strong stage combat experts, the director’s vision of a 1000AD Scottish clan culture. Everything from the costumes to the set were in perfect harmony, immersing the audience in a gripping experience we won’t soon forget.
The first scene takes place on a dark and stormy night where three animalistic witches take the stage. The fierce, creepy, and completely brilliant weird sisters were performed by Kim Wille, Emma Scanlon, and Chloe Whiting, each of which embraced and created the strange wildness of the Scottish Highlands that sets the stage for the story to take place. The first appearance of the titular character was powerful as Thomas Judd portrayed a strong but conflicted Macbeth. His impressive acting was matched by his skill with the sword as he and the equally talented Hunter Aro (Macduff) eventually faced off in an epic duel.
I was particularly excited to see Wright’s interpretation of Lady Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s most interesting and coveted female roles. Mayumi Mickelsen did not disappoint as we watched her transition from ambitious and forceful to broken and guilt-ridden. There were so many strong choices made by the director that really let this character shine in a way I’ve never seen before.
The entire cast is to be commended not just for their strong command of Shakespeare, but for taking on the task of so much combat. Each fight sequence was intense and very well executed. In such an intimate space, we were able to catch every move and facial expression and it was a real treat to get to see such expertise displayed. There wasn’t a single character that wasn’t interesting to watch. They were all incredibly well fleshed out and engaging.
Creating the world of the play were the talented crew who immersed us in that world from the very first moment. I was impressed by the sound design by Paige Northrup, who made us feel we were entirely surrounded by shrieking birds and the sounds of approaching battle. The lighting (Tyler Christensen) and set (Brian Saydyk) were amazingly harmonious as they created not just location, but the feeling of each moment. As a costumer, I was particularly interested in the costuming choices and was blown away by the detail and expertise in time period accuracy. I learned at the post show discussion that the actors kept their feet bare as this was a common practice for the era and culture. Ashlee Worley and Lucy Eyre are to be commended on their work.
If the three sold out shows don’t convince you that this show was a triumph, take it from your local Shakespeare nerd! We remained firmly on the edge of our seats even with a foreknowledge of the play’s ending. Each twist and turn was a thrill and a joy to participate in. I’m eager to see future productions from BYU as well as director Joey Wright.
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