Macbeth – Norton Priory

Norton Priory near Runcorn is a fabulous historical place comprising the remains of an abbey complex dating from 12th to 16th centuries and an 18th-century country house all of which is now a museum, but wonderfully this is also home to some phenomenal outdoor theatrical experiences, some I have had the fortune to see. For this event – Macbeth – I was very excited to see what spin the theatre group- “Place for Us” could put on this iconic play.

Firstly, the play delivered on the summer solstice, was delivered to an intimate audience of around 50 people in the woodland area of the priory and as we approached, a huge bell rang, mysterious sounds echoed through the trees and two witches met us praying on the ground, their faces full of scorn. This was a great way to enter this world of Shakespeare.

The story unfolded with a gruesome screaming fight – whereupon the charismatic Macbeth was the victor, warning each of us in the audience, that this was not a play for the faint hearted.

The forest becomes calm, as we witness a woman (Lady Macbeth) grieving following the death of her chid.  The witches take great delight in this sombre sight and soak themselves in the blood of the child.  This macabre scene was so hypnotic that with the regular birdsong, rustling of the wind through the backdrop trees and the haunting music, we, the audience, lay in the cast’s hands from hereon and there we remained, throughout the next 70 minutes of this stunning performance. From this scene Macbeth meets with the gruesome threesome to be told that he one day will be King, but that also the son of his closest friend Banquo will eventually be king too.

Moving from this scene, King Duncan arrives euphoric in Macbeth’s victory and at their meeting proudly announces that Malcolm is to be The Prince of Cumberland. and Macbeth the Thane of Cordor. This throws Macbeth and his narcissistic wife into a jealous rage and so, they plot to murder King Duncan and take the title themselves, thus living the witch’s prophecy. 

And so, with the three witches – played superbly by Lucy Hilditch, Libby Marshall and Liberty Fillingham, intertwined with the magnificent Macbeth (Colin Kilani) sublime Lady Macbeth (Katie Fry), Macbeth commits the heinous crime, assisted by his evil wife. The famous scene of the blooded hands – (that will never be clean was a joy to watch).

Following the murder, the Macbeth’s are crowned as King and Queen and all their hedonistic desires come true and happiness would reign, or so they believed.

From their appointed heights, turmoil then resides, and the royals have their sanity weakened by further murders of anyone that potentially threatened their crown including Banquo and his sons (but the sons escape) and McDuff (whose whole family were murdered but he himself escaped to England) and this spirals them both, minute by minute, into psychotic madness.  The superb cast weaving into this madness, are gullible bystanders, swallowed up into the Macbeths’ insatiable greed and we, the audience, like them, are powerless witnesses to these atrocities. The torment is real, the hideous crimes authentic, the anguish and grief tangible – each scene, each actor, each movement, played with passion and credence. It was superb.   

As the play comes to an end, Lady Macbeth has gone completely insane and so dies to end her torment, Macbeth faced with his revengeful foe McDuff, is murdered (with relief for the tormented Macbeth) and Banquo’s son – Malcom – is crowned the new King of Scotland. 

The actors had me spellbound in every scene, the clever use of black eye makeup on each of the cast was a stroke of genius, the haunting music hypnotic, the woodland use as backstage magical, and the costumes and props simple but so impactful.

The acting was superb, and I have shown the full cast list, as every single person that stood before us on this balmy summer evening in this beautiful backdrop, needs recognition for acting that would not go unrecognised on a West End stage.

Huge congratulations must go to director Kate Allerston, sound engineer Chris Bastock and Riverside College for the amazing makeup – you all did a fantastic job!  

The “Place for Us “theatre group should be absolutely delighted and proud with this performance.  I am very pleased to hear that they are bringing this. production to the Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th July and I will be one of the privileged punters to get to see this work of art, as I cannot wait to see this production again. 

Reviewer Jan Mellor

Reviewed: 21st June 2024

North West End UK Rating: