Macbeth

Reviewed by Taylor Kass

Independent Shakespeare Co.

Through September 4

RECOMMENDED

Macbeth is Shakespeare’s eternal jewel – one of his most gutsy, vivid, and well-paced plays. But rarely is it as scary as it deserves to be. David Melville’s production for the Independent Shakespeare Company’s outdoor stage at Griffith Park cuts straight to the heart of what makes Macbeth so gripping, funny, and down-right terrifying even 400 years later. Melville’s unique directorial flourishes, complemented by a powerhouse cast and purposeful design choices, create a clear and impactful Macbeth that feels frighteningly brand new.

The pared-back cast is led by Sam Breen and Kalean Ung as, respectively, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They’re the second real-life married couple I’ve seen take on Macbeth this year, but the magnetism between Breen and Ung feels particularly cosmic. Their love is palpable, scorpions and all, yet their internal power struggle is just as real as the desperate and bloody political upset their characters create. Breen is a passionate and intelligent Macbeth who suppresses his panic until he’s in way too deep to turn back. Ung’s Lady Macbeth is graceful in her cruelty, with an incisive gaze and an almost otherworldly presence. The rest of the ensemble commit just as daringly to their roles, unafraid to add memorable gestures or brief moments of improv. Melville creates striking images in his staging that are as bold and disturbing as the story itself.

Yes, the stage combat is compelling and the fake blood is appropriately gory. But it’s the little details that give this production its specific point of view: the makeup that marks the witches as fantastical even as they shapeshift into members of the ensemble, the ladders that double as horses and thrones, the Porter (played by director Melville) ribbing an audience member for bringing a Cliff Notes version of the play to the play.

The outstanding sound design (yes, Melville again) is chilling but never distracting, with low drones, drums and whispers that tease out the musicality of the text. Macbeth is so essentially connected to the natural world that seeing it outdoors, under falling darkness and enclosing trees and the sound of birds, is nothing short of supernatural. And that makes the hike back to the parking lot just a little bit spookier.

The Dell at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park, 4801 Griffith Park Dr., Los Feliz; Wed. – Sun. 7p.m.; through September 4. www.iscla.org or 818-710-6306 . Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.