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Lauren Gallo Lauren's Review of Macbeth at Brooklyn Academy of Music Order Macbeth Fashion Rolls to Start This is the side of Brooklyn that Biggie failed to mention. Iâd guess that 60 percent of the audience was white. They were all ãkiss-kissingä in the lobby before the show, greeting each other in their Marc Jacobsâ jackets and snow-stained Deisel shoes. Nearly everyone else was Japanese and they had the benefit of sitting in center orchestra, where the subtitles were neither visible nor necessary. Thanks to the mirrors, we, the ãoutsiders,ä could see the native speakers even from the mezzanine, so we never forgot precisely for whom the performance was meant. A screen of smoky, darkly tinted mirrors stands in the place of a curtain before the lights go down. When the show does begin, they open much like a curtain would, each moving to the side, accompanied by the sound of strong bass and a melancholic aria, sung by a woman. But the mirrors open to still more mirrors, which extend along the back of the stage and backward into the stage, making it appear wider and deeper. The stage seems immense, and itâs ever crowded with actors, who are effectively quadrupled by the mirrors. This effect forces the audience to remain constantly attentive in order to follow the actual actors, and not merely their reflections. This attentiveness interferes with reading the subtitles, however, so anyone in attendance that is not familiar with the tragedy will likely feel somewhat bombarded with stimulation. The mirrors will not distract, if you know what actions you are meant to follow. The language will not confuse if you know the gist of the impending dialogue. In addition, the expressiveness and passion of the actors is so brimming that no one could begin to doubt the emotion or lack thereof displayed by each performer. We felt Lady Macbethâs misery and Macbethâs hesitance while manipulated. We saw, in every moment, vengeance and greed as though it were not 20 feet below but approaching from either side us: aisle C, row 7, seats 22 and 26. This talent, though not by any means a shortcoming, does not do the performance justice in any regard. It was the absurdity, the utter matchlessness of the production that earns it the highest praise. The mirrors not only created depth, but became transparent to reveal apparitions, they were used to suggest simultaneous events in two different places, they acted as a giant, all-encompassing strobe light to suggest tempestuous conditions, in the weather and the relations. The mirrors were truly unlike anything you have seen before, and they were incorporated into the show as its' most essential prop. Other props were minimal; red strings hung without organization from the ceiling, a single, giant orchid stood alone at center stage. But the sparse set design did not make this production merely another modern, minimalist piece. Lady Macbeth, after her husband seizes the throne, appears on stage only dressed in a decadent and extremely elegant satin scarlet dress, the color reminiscent of the blood that she cannot manage to wash from her hands. Also, the extras on stage at any given time were considerably numerous. And here, again, the mirrors duplicate the stage an infinite amount, dizzying the audience with richness and breadth. I fear praising this piece to highly, for I can predict certain audiences will not enjoy the piece. Traditionalists, for one, will absolutely be offended by this Eastern interpretation of Shakespeare. And any of those who, much like myself, had taken advantage of the dayâs weather by sledding and snowball fighting in Central park; I donât know where I found the energy to follow along with the subtitles. I therefore must return again to the recommendation to familiarize yourself, at least partially, with the plot of Macbeth, just to ease the potential confusion of the constant stimulation in the piece. But if you can stand it, you should absolutely invest in a ticket. Break out of your shell, and dip your toe for a night into the bottomless pool of Ninagawaâs direction. Japanese culture influences every aspect of the production from the acting, to the choreography (largely martial arts), to the set. This was an unmatched production of Shakespeare, both in uniqueness and in excellence. Want another viewpoint? Check out Nicole's review of Macbeth |
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