Theatre Alba

Macbeth
EdinburghGuide.com

Venue Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden
Address Old Church Lane, Duddingston.
Reviewer Max Blinkhorn.

If it hadn't rained…... But it did, so the audience suffered for their art last night (Friday 9th) at Duddingston Kirkyard but not as much as the players of Theatre Alba. They gamely threw themselves down on wet grass as required. Some had the shelter of an army great coat; the witches - great witches – did not but they still played their parts with effect and stamina. Sinister and tangibly potent, they blended well with Richard Chern’s strong, performance enhancing soundscape which created a wonderful atmosphere.

This adaptation is spoken in the Scots dialect and the players are dressed as Balkan-style irregulars with machine guns as well as the required "dirk" with which to "dae tha deed" on Duncan. There are also some very young people in the cast who had a great time - clearly thought themselves totally cool!

Traffic was this Macbeth’s most deadly enemy. In Scots, Macbeth requires close attention but passing vehicles behind the high churchyard wall broke the audience’s concentration. To their credit, most of them stuck it out, enjoying refreshments in the tent during the welcome intermission. Weather and noise pollution aside, this is an excellent production and cleverly executed in the Kirkyard under the direction of Charles Nowosielski. It seemed to me that the power of Macbeth in Scots has come of age. It’s no longer a gimmick. It sounds right. "Renderer", David Purves should be pleased.

Open air theatre can work well in Scotland but there are no half measures. When it's bad, there's nothing for it but to put on a brave face and have some grit. This performance is worth the ticket but make sure you are prepared with waterproofs and a comfy cushion.
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© Max Blinkhorn 9th August 2002