Nottingham Shakespeare Company has conjured the world of Macbeth with a tragic, rugged intensity that grips the audience from the first words to the final clash of swords.
This is Shakespeare stripped bare and raw, each word spoken with purpose. These performers do not merely recite Shakespeare; they live it. Through them, a tale penned over 400 years ago pulses with fresh urgency, transcending time and place. They deliver every line with tenacity, their intimacy on stage so tangible it pulls you deep into the heart of the tragedy.
This is Macbeth as we know it. Etched into our bones like an old and familiar ghost story. The Scottish general, spurred on by the prophecy of witches and his wife’s relentless ambition, seizes power through bloodshed, only to be consumed by paranoia and guilt. His descent into tyranny is relentless, his mind unraveling as the weight of his crimes crushes him. And yet, in this production, there is something even more visceral—and it claws at your chest.
The three witches (played by Margarita Loginova, Querida Louyindoula and Andy Canadine) deserve the highest praise. They slither across the stage, their ungodly postures and wicked grins unsettling yet hypnotic. Their voices weave a spell of menace and foreboding, never once breaking their eerie, otherworldly presence. They do not merely predict the future; they orchestrate it, luring both Macbeth and the audience into their dark web.
Their chemistry is electric
Emma Webber’s Lady Macbeth is a revelation. Her portrayal of greedy affection and calculated seduction is so intoxicating that, for fleeting moments, you root for her and Jack Dillon’s Macbeth. Their chemistry is electric. Deeply entwined in love and ambition, they seem invincible until the inevitable collapse. Webber’s Lady Macbeth teases and tempts, drawing the audience into her scheming mind, her descent into madness delivered with aching precision.
This production does not shy away from the darkness, nor does it temper the sensuality that simmers beneath the bloodstained hands. The themes of power, ambition and guilt are laid bare, so consuming you forget you are seated in the hush of a church on Maid Marian Way.
And then, as the final battle looms, Leon Cain’s Macduff takes the stage with a raw, devastating grief. The moment he learns of his family’s slaughter is shattering. His voice cracks, the stage lights catching the glistening trail of tears on his cheek. The room holds its breath. You know something monumental is about to unfold.
Nottingham Shakespeare Company set out to make Shakespeare accessible without sacrificing artistic excellence and they’ve exceeded their own ambition. Bring on the next one!
Nottingham Shakespeare Company's The Tragedy of Macbeth was performed across the East Midlands from 19 February - 1 March. This review is from the performance at St Nicholas' Church on Saturday 1 March 2025.
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