Macbeth – Octagon Theatre

Over four hundred years since it was written and first performed, Shakespeare’s Macbeth still proves to be the quintessential study of guilt, paranoia and vaulting ambition. With this modern-dress version of the tragedy, Director Mark Babych produces an accessible and clear rendition of the text that emphasises the domestic trauma of the central couple at the expense of the wider political context of the play.

When watching and reviewing any Macbeth, my interest always centres around the decision a director takes to emphasise certain key themes inherent in the text. Will they choose to focus on the political, martial or domestic elements that conspire to push the eponymous character from warrior hero at the outset towards bloody regicide and insecurity, culminating in his fatalistic death? How much will the Jacobean supernatural elements be incorporated for a modern audience, and what concessions are made to modernity in both language and staging?

As a co-production with Hull Truck and Derby Theatre, this Octagon Macbeth nails its colours to the modernistic mast from the outset. A mortally wounded soldier is wheeled onto the stage in modern-day battle fatigues. Attended by doctors, he relays news of Macbeth’s battlefield triumph and the vanquishing of the treacherous Thane of Cawdor before bloodily expiring. We quickly move to Macbeth (Oliver Alvin-Wilson) and Banquo (Daniel Poyser) playfully sparring in the immediate aftermath of triumphant conflict, demonstrating mutual trust and camaraderie. Macbeth is clearly an alpha male, happy in the laddish atmosphere of an army barracks, but the tender way he carries a child’s toy in his rucksack hints at a loss and deeper unrest which will surface later. The “fruitless crown and barren sceptre” demonstrate the transitory nature of his short and bloody reign and explicitly lay out his reasoning behind his later actions.

Similarly, Lady Macbeth’s (Jo Mousley) motivation is also clearly signalled. The couple have both lost a child at some previous point; the grief she feels, and her subsequent inability to produce an heir for her husband, curdles this love into a blood-soaked lust for power. Her relationship with Fleance, the oldest son of Banquo, and the concern she displays for the children of Lady Macduff (Josie Morley) prior to their bloody murder are both touchingly filial and give logical reasoning for her subsequent descent into guilty madness and eventual suicide.

This domestic reading of the motives for the couple to murder their way to the throne is a compelling one and is consistently employed throughout the two-and-a-half-hour runtime—the longest rendition of Macbeth that I have seen in some time. The Wyrd Sisters (Deborah Pugh, Livie Dalee and Josie Morley) are most convincing during the three prophecies scene, employing dolls to speak and reinforcing the importance of childhood. Similarly, Macduff (Simon Trinder) is heartbreakingly effective when receiving the news of the death of his children, the questioning “All my pretty chickens?” emphasising the importance of the dynastic family as a driver in the play.

Given that Babych manages to mine such excellence from the text in the domestic and familial setting, it is a surprise that he chose to retain other elements in the production that were less effective. The Act 4 “Bleed, bleed, poor country” scene was poorly executed and, in the context of driving this story forward, felt superfluous. Malcolm (Cayvan Coates) was poorly drawn and lacking both depth and substance in this context, and the Porter (Colin Hurley) was a cartoonish drunken buffoon rather than the Gatekeeper of Hell and arch commentator that is often employed. This felt less about the individual performances of the respective actors than a sense that their narratives were superfluous to the central action. A decision to reduce or cut some of this verbiage would have sharpened the production and reduced the length.

The set and costume design (Rachael Canning) place the action firmly in the present: a post-industrial landscape of pipes and wires with a metallic gantry slung overhead. This allows the effective device of some scenes being played simultaneously and illustrates off-stage action in graphic silence. The lighting (Sally Ferguson) felt obtrusively harsh in places, and the production was curiously underpowered where grandeur and scale were necessary. A tiny Coronation banquet scene witnessed Banquo’s ghostly reappearance, which took on the comedic qualities of ‘Shaun of the Dead’, with his zombie-like movements and jump-scare reappearances against a threadbare backdrop.

As Macbeth, Alvin-Wilson is an imposing physical presence as a warrior leader, displaying great physical dexterity in the fight scenes (Haruka Kuroda) with Macduff, which are well rendered. However, a lack of variation in tone and delivery led to the quieter scenes being less convincing. This was particularly apparent during “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow”, which felt incidental rather than a pivotal moment of realisation. Other cast members were similarly guilty in this regard; a seeming lack of understanding of the text failed to convey meaning to large sections of the audience. Mousley was an exception to this. Her Lady Macbeth was unusually sympathetic, lacking the raw sexuality of some interpretations in favour of a more strident approach to her husband’s advancement: a tiger mother who has lost her cubs.

Overall, this is a production that will delight English teachers: straightforward, accessible and with the key themes clearly delineated. A new generation of GCSE students can witness a faithful interpretation of the text in a production that, whilst not illuminating or groundbreaking, will serve as an excellent introduction to the play.

Playing until 28th March, https://octagonbolton.co.uk/

Reviewer: Paul Wilcox

Reviewed: 5th March 2026

North West End UK Rating: