It isn’t difficult to find a version of Macbeth to go and watch. According to YouGov, it is the second most popular Shakespeare play to perform, and its inclusion on both the GCSE and the A Level syllabus, also assure its appeal to the widest audiences. It’s also Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, and this RSC production is presented to us only 5 years after the last outing in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Polly Findlay’s 2018 production.

All of which might explain why directorial choices in Macbeth often seek to reinvent or throw something new at it. Wils Wilson’s production does exactly that, with mixed successes. The opening is creepy, bleak and exciting – the witches emerge from the stage itself, and their physicality, echoing vocals and deathly stares towards the audience shows us exactly the beats that this production seeks to hit.  Amber Sylvia Edwards, Eilidh Loan and Dylan Read physically embody every word they utter and are visible not only in their own scenes, but in key moments of fate, choice and death throughout. The minimalist set supports this choice of tone – a black, grey and wasted landscape of rough wild scrubland, dotted with boulders and shrouded in mist and cold lights, sets the scene of this Macbeth which is set in “a near-future where both the political and natural worlds have broken down.”

This production is also superbly cast – Valene Kane’s interpretation of Lady Macbeth is exciting and unpredictable. She moves from giddy and joyous, to manipulator, to scared and out of control with great effect, and manages to promote horror at her actions while simultaneously provoking some sympathy. Shyvonne Ahmmad’s Malcolm and Anna Russell-Martin’s Banquo are also strong and powerful in their roles, playing Queen Duncan’s (Therese Bradley) daughter and Macbeth’s right-hand soldier as women, giving an interesting spin on the ideas of warrior and lineage.

The central role of Macbeth is played by Reuben Joseph and he is phenomenal. Joseph’s portrayal of the character’s arc is crystal clear throughout, and Macbeth’s transition from warrior soldier, to murderer, to madman is impeccable. He manages to show Macbeth’s fearful isolation even whilst surrounded by people, and this debut season at the RSC will no doubt be the first casting of many.

There were also, however, moments in this production which didn’t quite land as they should. Alison Peebles was given a Porter script written not by Shakespeare, but updated by comedian Stewart Lee. Introduced by a compere who tells us into a microphone that she won “Best Porter at Edinburgh Fringe 1590,” Peebles launches into a version of the Porter’s speech which features electric buzzers rather than the knocking of the “hell gate” and a tirade about Alexander De Pfeffel Johnson’s government, as well as picking out a row of young people asking them if they were here “because of their GCSEs.” If you are going to update and modernise a speech from Macbeth, the Porter speech is the one to do it with. Many academics believe the inclusion of the Porter, speaking directly to the audience, was inserted to give the actor playing Macbeth time to wash his hands of the fake-blood from killing Duncan, and it is also credited with the invention of the “knock-knock” joke, as well as even being touted as a bit of script not written by Shakespeare himself. Essentially, it stands out, and Wilson and Lee have used this to make it a stand-up. Does it work? Well, large swathes of the audience found it funny, and it was both written and performed well. However, it also felt a bit like a gimmick – borne out in the second act when Peebles returns to deliver some key “messenger” moments and reducing some of the sadness in the tragedies that follow. I would also question why the production felt the need to have Macbeth deliver his “tomorrow and tomorrow” speech into the same microphone in the same style.

What this production does brilliantly is centre Scotland. From the whole cast of authentic Scottish voices, to the kilts, the bagpipes and even the rain curtain and the whistling wind provided by the actor-musicians playing giant brass instruments throughout, Scotland almost becomes a character in its own right, which solidifies the location and the events exceptionally well. The music and lighting throughout is excellent and beautifully ambient, and the fight scene at the end between George Anton’s Macduff and Macbeth is brutal, detailed and probably the best version of this I’ve seen, with outstanding commitment from both actors. My companion remarked to me “it makes you realise how long it takes to actually kill someone” and this scene was a horrifying highlight, within an excellently choreographed show.

Making Macbeth last over 3 hours is quite a feat, and it was probably a bit too long, and there were a few gimmicky surprises throughout that it didn’t really need, which detracted from, rather than enhanced the production. However, if you like Macbeth, you’ll probably like this version of Macbeth, and whilst some of it felt unnecessary, other moments will stay with me for a very long time.

Reviewer: Rebecca Morris