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A short review of Shakespeare’s Macbeth at The Globe

‘Twas on Saturday the 10^th of September of the year 2016 when year 11 of Harris Academy Orpington set out on the pilgrimage that has been completed by so many lovers of Shakespeare: the journey to the Globe Theatre. On arrival, we took our seats and waited for the show to start, unbeknownst to us what exactly we were going to experience and whether or not this handful of actors, actresses, producers and singers could bring Shakespeare’s brilliant Macbeth to life… it became apparent almost immediately that we would not be disappointed. Throughout the full 2 hours and 55 minutes, the audience was transported to Scotland and into the mind of Shakespeare himself; sure, there were a few faults with the play, such as the use of four witches rather three and the inclusion of Macbeth’s son whose role in the play wasn’t totally clear, but, without regard to these minute details, each performance in the play was absolutely perfect and, if I were just reviewing this play on the cast’s acting ability, it would be totally faultless. Not only did these actors/actresses convey the tragedy aspect of Macbeth, but they also managed to include moments of comic relief. It’s also important to note the effort put in by those that worked behind the scenes of the production, for instance the prop and set designers did a great job aiding the character’s performances and Melanie Oppenheim’s vocals were a beautiful way of creating a haunting atmosphere, especially during the witches’ scenes.  Overall, I would highly recommend any Shakespeare fan or student studying Macbeth to come and see this production given that, although it’s a story of tragedy, it is surely no tragedy in itself.

A special thanks to Ms Burns and the English Department for giving us this opportunity and for ensuring that we had a place to sit (I’m still not entirely sure how people can stand for almost three hours without rest).

Written by Liam Grinham,
For Harris Academy: Orpington.