Dark, scary and foreboding. The three words that summarise the Shakespearean masterpiece. The tale of greed, malice and murder shown in the magnificent theatre at Prescott – it’s very foundations from the times that the original plays were performed.
The set was thick with an eerie mist as the audience entered the round theatre, and as the play started, we were put into pitch blackness with only the sound of eerie sighs and moans from ghouls, surrounding us as the play began. It was immediately atmospheric and as the first scene opened – a bare stage with only a tin bath at it’s centre – we were immediately transfixed.
A woman is carried to the bath, her gown covered in blood and in this bath, she miscarries her baby. Screams from the woman fill the theatre. This is not for the faint- hearted. Around this scene emerges a battle of an army branding swords and daggers, depicting the unrest around Scotland at this time. This was very poignant how the two scenes of loss were merged together.
From this, the bath remains throughout the whole first scene which is a significant prop and a reminder of the pain of loss. It is at this centre piece as we first meet the three witches, played magnificently by Paryee Richards, Zoey Barnes, and Pavanveer Sagoo. The witches remain on set throughout the play, emersed side stage, amongst the audience or in the back aisles, hissing and twitching to assert their presence – an eerie manifestation throughout – that is pure genius.
In traveling back from a victorious battle, Macbeth is met by the witches who foresee that Macbeth will soon be the Fane of Cordor and eventually the King. Although he finds this incredible, he writes to Lady Macbeth of the witch’s premonition. His wife is elated.
The King arrives to receive the news of Macbeth’s victory and in doing so appoints him Fane of Cordor (and Malcolm Prince of Cumberland). From the moment we meet both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth they own the stage and are absolutely incredible. Macbeth played by Elaine McNicol – has to be the most profound Macbeth I have ever seen, and owned the performance throughout, as his tormenter and instigator his wife, played by Frankie Lipman, showed avarice and deceit in an amazing performance and to see these two perform together was a joy to behold.
And so, at this victorious party, Lady Macbeth consumed with the desire for Macbeth to be king, convinces Macbeth that the king should be murdered and so the deed is done and both Macbeth and his wife have blood on their hands from this treacherous deed. They wash away their guilt in the centre bath, again bringing the prop to the fore front. The excellent ensemble shares this shock and despair to each of us, as we watch the treachery unfold.
In scene 2 the bath is replaced with a cauldron, that an array of witches in white gowns dance around chanting “Hubble, bubbe, toil and trouble” and Macbeth, now haunted by his actions is sightly mad, in torment and enraged by the sight of these evil beings. McDuff – Macbeth’s right-hand support, realising Macbeths evil ways, flees to England to rally an English army, but in doing so leaves his family vulnerable, who are all viciously murdered.
In the array of all the murder, deceit and despair, Lady Macbeth becomes insane and eventually takes her own life, leaving the distraught Macbeth alone to fight the English and eventually be slain by the vengeful McDuff.
This was a masterpiece of theatre, the costumes were amazing – well done Holly Collins and Emma Wilcox, the production Kayleigh Hawkins was impactful and the direction very inspirational – Amy Gavin and Hannah Ellis Ryan. Every cast member showed a range of acting skills seen only in the West End. Credit again must be given to the magnificent Elaine McNicol – a female Macbeth holds an additional strength that is sublime.
The group are taking their play to other theatres –
10th – 12th June the Dukes Lancaster, 18th – 29th June Hope Mill Theatre, 2nd and 3rd July Lawrence Batley Theatre.
Reviewer: Jan Mellor
Reviewed: 5th June 2025
North West End UK Rating: