Samantha Bond and Sean Bean starred in Edward Hall’s production of Macbeth Essay Example

with Friends, and The Memory of Water serve as a striking counterpoint to Beans' twelve-year hiatus from theatre. With effortless grace, Bond commanded the stage and delivered her lines with utmost sincerity.

In her portrayal of Lady Macbeth, she brought a much-needed element of authenticity to the production and effortlessly transitioned between the roles of a commanding spouse and a vulnerable hostess. As part of the ensemble, she skillfully allowed Shakespeare's words to take center stage in a way that Sean Bean failed to do. Nevertheless, Edward Hall's casting decision for Julian Glover, Adrian Schiller, and Sean Bean was debatable as Glover had difficulty distinguishing between portraying goodness and monotony in his role as Duncan.

The audience found his attempt at portraying saintly kindness lackluster and boring. He failed to convincingly play both of his roles, as his Glaswegian accent and un-funny speech during his time as the porter made the audience cringe. Adrian Schiller's portrayal of Malcolm was unrealistic, as he interpreted the character to be manipulative and shifty. The set was more for dramatic effect than to enhance the play, with a welded steel and industrial appearance.

The attempt to update the play with a more contemporary setting was admirable, but poorly executed, lacking the necessary level of detail to be convincing. The use of steel broad swords and flaming torches in combat along with thick smoke in battle scenes appeared pretentious, possibly as a way to distract attention from the substandard acting. Most of the cast performed well in the predictable banqueting scene, with Barnaby Kay as a convincing Banquo, while Bean's over-the-top attention-seeking efforts undermined his performance. Sadly, Bean failed to

convey emotions through his voice and relied solely on volume as a substitute.

Despite a lackluster performance, Kay's portrayal of a bloodied character added an eerie touch that engaged Macbeth's attention. While Samantha Bond acted as the tired hostess, the rest of the cast accurately conveyed the uncomfortable atmosphere- except for Sean Bean. Surprisingly, the focus on the witches' words was minimal, only accompanied by music and singing. However, in contrast to typical portrayals seen in other productions, these witches were young and beautiful women, wearing evening dress like Lady Macbeth. It was a refreshing change from the usual portrayals seen in other adaptations by the Royal Shakespeare Company or Roman Polanski.

Despite some shortcomings in execution, the play's presentation was carefully planned. Edward Hall's unique interpretation of the storyline as a blend of romance and horror is a welcome change. Samantha Bond's performance solidifies her standing as a talented actress in both contemporary and traditional theater. Barnaby Kay demonstrates his skill and proficiency as an actor, while Sean Bean highlights that not every performer is capable of doing justice to the complexities of Macbeth.