Macbeth ( NT 2018)

That's very long for Macbeth. Very long indeed.

Wasn't the James McAvoy production 2 hours 50 minutes?

2 hours 35 mins (inc interval) at the Tobacco Factory in Bristol at the moment (very good by the way)

I cannot be bothered to write a full review of a preview on my site so you are getting my rant, which I hope to all the Gods it improves because it cannot carry on like this. Too long, too slow and just all round poor production of a play that can be quite interesting, especially the supernatural element and the faith Macbeth has in these witches to commit acts he wouldn't have even considered before meeting them, the dynamic of the marriage just isn't there, the sense of Scottishness or even monarchy isn't there. There aren't bad performances as such but I feel like they weren't given anything to explore in depth so are relying on their own skill at Shakespeare/Performance rather than a refreshed look at the text.

I think RuNo has seen a lot of good directors (Farber, Hytner etc) fill that Olivier stage and taken a lot of their style and signature. I am now wondering if Norris is like Emma Rice and is just indifferent to Shakespeare. I am not saying you need to be an SRB-esque obsessive but it's biggest failing is understanding why it is being staged like that and why now? Hytner's Julius Caesar has clearly looked at the rise of Corbyn, Trump and rally politics. This felt like a passable fringe production that had access to an expensive smoke machine. I expect more of the National Theatre but that probably says more about me.

I did tweet about it if you want to read my interval tweets thread

Yes, and was far too long.  The onstage seating seats didn't help.

I use the "England" scene to measure the speed of any Macbeth production.  If they can make that sleep inducing scene be pacy, they win in my eyes.

I think I need to see a Macbeth where the leads are Scottish to satisfy my needs but in the other adaptations I have seen (Yes, I am personally counting this ) there is a sense of time and place. I saw a great adaptation called Mendoza at the Casa Latin Theatre Festival set in 19th century Mexico and as a result, I am a great believer that as a story Macbeth has some interesting ideas on marriage and power. 

I had no idea what era (the present, the past, even the future) this NT production was set in and I think all productions have to have a sense of purpose-the who, what, why and where. I am didn't get a sense of any of that to fully immerse myself in this world for 3 hours. It didn't just feel lacklustre, it felt like it had missed the point entirely. 

That, of course, wasn't directed by Norris

I thought that Kinnear was good in that excerpt - but Duff didn't really match him.  But then I haven't seen her do anything that really blew me away. 

Oh dear, that doesn't sound great.

Press night is Tuesday 06 March 2018, which only gives it 1 week to play around with it = nothing much is gonna change.

I didn't see - so can't comment either way

The Wikipedia (that bastion of reliable truth) says that Macbeth is the first Shakespeare he's directed in 25 years, and also has him pegged as a newcomer in 2001, so reading between the lines, this is his professional Shakespeare debut but he probably did one as a student.

Something like this perhaps? 

I hesitate to ask, but what do they do with the Porter ? Always a grim moment when s/he comes on, prefiguring the dread moment when the Fool appears in Lear.