Just Macbeth! at the Sydney Opera House: June/July 2010 & Edinburgh Fringe Festival: August 2010

Following a rip-roaringly successful season in 2008, Just Macbeth! returns with many of the original cast. Loaded with gags aimed at children and adults alike, it’s an absolute treat for the whole family.

Where: Sydney Opera House
When: Thurs 24th June, 2010 until Sat 31st July, 2010. Tickets on sale NOW. Visit Bell Shakespeare for more details.

Also at: Edinburgh Fringe Festival from Thu 5th Aug – Sun 29th Aug
Where: Assembly @ George Street Ballroom, Edinburgh
When: 11.45am-1.15pm daily. Tickets on sale NOW. Visit Edinburgh Fringe

Click here to watch highlights from the 2008 production of Just Macbeth! along with interviews with cast, director and Andy from ABC1’s The 7.30 Report.

Click here to read reviews from the 2008 production of Just Macbeth!

Just Macbeth! Review
By Editor – Posted on 16 August 2010
5 STARS
Venue: Assembly Rooms
Company: Bell Shakespeare
Running time: 90mins
Production: Bell Shakespeare
Performers: Patrick Brammall, Pippa Grandison, John Leary, Rhiannon Owen, Mark Owen Taylor
This play was billed as suitable for ages 7-77, so this review is a little different. It was created as a conversation between a father, Scott Grant, and his nine-year-old daughter Iona after seeing the show on Sunday 15th August.

Dad: Another festival play, Iona. What did you think of this one?

Iona: I thought that one was really good, dad. Ten out of ten.

Dad: I agree. I’d give it ten out of ten too.

Iona: It was very funny.

Dad: Yes, I noticed you started laughing even before the actors came on.

Iona: It was all the stage props and the jokes that were written on them. Some of them were really funny.

Dad: I liked the feet on all the foot lights.

Iona:

Dad: I looked around while the play was on, and the adults were laughing just as much as the kids. It’s not often you get humour that is funny for the parents as well as the children.

Iona: The actors were really good at being kids. That’s one of the things I liked – adults acting like kids is really funny.

Dad: Yes, they did a good job. I could hear you and your brother arguing when I listened to them – mind you I hear you and your brother fighting whatever I’m doing these days.

Iona: He starts it.

Dad: Anyway. What else stands out for you?

Iona: ‘ Thought the gnome played a very good part. He was very gnome-like indeed.

Dad: Yes. I’m not quite sure what that was all about, but it certainly marked this Macbeth out from any other I’ve ever heard about!

Iona: Don’t they all have gnomes in them then?

Dad: Erm…

Iona: The back scenery was amazing.

Dad: The backdrop projection?

Iona: Yes. There were lots of funny bits going on there. I especially liked it when they were pretending to run and the shadows were moving backwards while they stayed where they were.

Dad: And the dead body slowly slid himself off stage in time with the movements?

Iona: That was a brilliant idea.

Dad: I thought they got the cheesiness factor just right. It was meant to be in a school, and it was like someone playing on an overhead projector.

Iona: Dad, I think that’s exactly what it was.

Dad: Well, he seemed to be enjoying himself anyway. It added another dimension to the play I thought.

Iona: Eh?

Dad: Made it that bit more interesting. I also liked the wee contemporary bits they added in.

Iona: What does “contemporary” mean?

Dad: It means “up-to-date”. “Modern”.

Iona: Like the McDonald’s sign? And the fact that they used McDonald’s stuff for all the horrible ingredients that the witches used?

Dad: Exactly.

Iona: And the karaoke? That was really hilarious.

Dad: Is there anything you didn’t like, Iona?

Iona: I was a bit worried that I might be learning something. It’s still the summer holidays you know.

Dad: I think you learned quite a bit about Shakespeare – Macbeth at least.

Iona: All I knew about Macbeth was that you weren’t allowed to say the name of the play if you were in it. Now I know the whole story. And I know what a soliloquy is. I can’t believe you got me learning stuff on my holidays!

Dad: I thought the way the children were slowly drawn in to the story was good. At the start they spoke mostly in English – well, as English as an Australian can get. But by the end, they were almost entirely speaking in Shakespearian.

Iona: I found that a bit hard to understand in places.

Dad: Did you? You may have thought that you didn’t understand it, but if you got the story out of it, then maybe you understood more than you think you did.

Iona: I suppose I must have. I’m certainly not worried about hearing more Shakespeare after this.

Dad: So what was your favorite bit.

Iona: Right at the end, when we all got scooshed with water pistols. If you are sitting in the front row you should really have an umbrella.

Dad: You seemed to like the stickers and tattoos at the end too.

Iona: Yeah. And the program turns into one of them fortune tellers, if you fold it up.

Dad: Cool.

Iona: And the Andy actor put a hundred marshmallows in his mouth at the same time.

Dad:

Iona: And then spat them out again. What was your favorite bit?

Dad: I really enjoyed all of it, I must admit. Perhaps the running scene with the dead body, or perhaps just the way they slowly drew us from modern talking into Shakespearian language. It was all very well done.

Iona: I’d just like to add one thing. If your dad is only going to take you to one show this festival – try and get him to take you to this one. Just Macbeth! was brilliant.

Show times
Till 29 August (not 17), 11.45 am

Ticket Prices
£8.50 (£7.50)

Posted on 16 June 2010
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