Shakespeare at the park- Macbeth

Hi guys :) I just got back from an awesome evening at Fort Canning Green with Maryam, Nicolette, Kah Heng, Nisa, Meaghan and Melody (plus a few other EL members)

I'm blogging about it now because it was one of the best (or the best) plays I've watched :)

The play, Shakespeare in the park- Macbeth, was held in Fort Canning Green. Of course, being in the open air, it wasn't exactly the most ideal or comfortable spot to watch a play, but it was a refreshing venue for a play. There were other aspects that had to be considered, such as the weather, ground levels, natural features that had to be dealt with (eg. Trees). However, it was also clever to have it on the hill, for the naturally gentle slope gave the audience an excellent view of the stage (yes, including short people like me) . plus we were encouraged to treat it like a picnic, so food and water was never the issue.

Here's the basic story plot to the classic Macbeth by Shakespeare

As the play progressed, we were in awe of the sets and lighting. There was this humongous  castle like structure that allowed for two levels of movement, thanks to stairs/ladders in the towers at the sides. The structure itself was a big surprise, especially for the small details: rows of flags could be released from the roof of the upper level, bells and pan like props concealed in the lower ceiling of the lower level, curtains that could be drawn anytime, mirrored doors at the back of the first level. The entire structure appeared like a children's playground in the form of a castle. A long table was also brought in during the dinner banquet scene, fine with "fine dining ware" and plastic chickens. The lights were very powerful; Macbeth's face was illuminated to the point of being white. White, with or without make up (not face paint) is very difficult to achieve. It gave the completely scary and eerie Macbeth the perfect touch. Effects, oh boy, were plentiful. The best were the gun shots that rang out ever so frequently, startling the bravest of souls even after experiencing it countless times. (yours truly) .

The cast was strong, with Adrian Pang as Macbeth. Everyone else brought out amazing character and emotion (it was a tragedy after all). Yet, while we all respect her and admit she was damn good at times, one that could not match the cast was Lady Macbeth. Reading Life!'s review of Macbeth did not help us to notice less of her flaws but opened our eyes to more of it. She just wasn't bringing it across very strongly in the way she presented her words. Sure, there was emotions, and her words were very sharp and clear, but it was to a point that she became slightly unnatural and even weirder that it was with so much passion as she was unnatural. Ironic? Maybe. Thinking I'm all high and mighty? No.

Watching as a member of the audience, it was already quite clear to us that there was something odd about the way she delivered her lines. Even other members of the audience were discussing it. Then again, the fact that she could clinch a role/ even play distraught, disillusioned Lady Macbeth was already a wonderful achievement in itself. Adrian Pang was able to bring Macbeth into the minds off power hungry, ruthless villains and remained consistent throughout, especially so since Macbeth is such a multi- faceted  character.

My favourite scene would have to be the very last one. The tree witches come together to sing their little witch song as an end, but what I found most interesting was the added effect of the news broadcast where, Libya's dictator was very subtly mentioned. I thought it was extremely clever to link the power hungry Macbeth to the dictatorships and injustice the people feel in modern times.

In a way, Macbeth reminded me of Illyria in it's surreality and fantastical elements, as well as the idea of an oppressive leader. Overall, it was worth the edusave money to catch this interesting and elaborate performance by the Singapore Repertory Theatre.

P/S Here's a tip: before watching any plays, especially for the grand master Shakespeare's, always remember to read up on the play to gain knowledge of the basic storyline. Trust me, it is very much easier to follow the tale and it keeps you wanting more because you know what is going on and how it happens, and you want the knowledge to come with visuals.