Macbeth 

Reviewed by Dana Martin 
Fearless Imp and CTB Productions at the McCadden Place Theatre 
Through April 29th 

There are daggers in men’s smiles at the McCadden Place Theatre this April. The Fearless Imp and CTB Productions’ of Macbeth seeks to explore the abuse suffered by Lady Macbeth and other women throughout the course of the play as an acknowledgement of the #Metoo movement. The famous play, already a solid study of toxic masculinity, struggles to land its message as many of its women, particularly Lady Macbeth, aren’t victims but culpable perpetrators of violence.

The story goes something like this: Macbeth (Brendan Weinhold) is a general for the Scottish army. After a big win, he and his buddy Banquo (Mitchell Bisschop) encounter some witches who prophesy that Macbeth will be crowned king, which Macbeth is super into and writes home to brag to his wife (Cyanne McClairian) about. She’s spurred by selfish ambition and promptly convinces Macbeth to murder the king, Duncan, which they do together. Duncan’s sons, Malcom and Donalbain, flee, and Macbeth is crowned king and embarks on a tyrannical killing spree. He learns that a nobleman, MacDuff (Patrick Censoplano), is rallying against him, and promptly executes his family. Outraged Macduff and ousted Malcom join forces and organize an army. Meanwhile, Macbeth is seeing ghosts and Lady Macbeth loses her mind and kills herself. In battle, Macbeth happens upon a pissed off Macduff — who beheads Macbeth, and Malcolm ascends the throne.

Macbeth is a curious story to use as a study of the #Metoo movement without some major re-writing of the play itself. In this production, abuse and the silencing of women is told through a variety of movement pieces interjected throughout the play that rarely connect to the action of the play itself. The choreography in these pieces suggests that Lady Macbeth has been sexually assaulted by Duncan, providing her with an ulterior motive for her crime and callousness. It’s an interesting take, but it isn’t the play. Lady Macbeth is motivated by her own selfish ambition, not revenge, and to suggest that she’s motivated by rape creates a brand-new narrative. But perhaps that’s Fearless Imp and CTB’s point: to suggests something new, and to observe the character’s action and behavior from a different angle entirely, thus changing the narrative and the conversation surrounding what the play confronts.

Weinhold’s Macbeth is an affable pushover-turned-tyrant, a king not secure or comfortable in his seized role in any way. The crown is too big for him and he slowly crumbles under its weight. Weinhold handles the turn well, considering the enormity of the task. McClairian plays a stiff and stoic Lady Macbeth. Bisschop finds a good-natured, likable Banquo and Censoplano’s Macduff is sympathetic and vulnerable. 

Director Heidi Powers’ staging is clear and concise, though it only skims the surface of the play’s extreme brutality, treachery and inherent evil. Musical composition by Allison Faith Sulock and Ryan Deremer is superbly dark and moody. The movement pieces devised by Heather Lynn are creative and clear in their intent and are mostly stand-alone sequences that form alternate scenes. The lighting design by Azra King-Abadi creates a dark and dangerous atmosphere.

The #Metoo movement is important and it is certainly time for conversations and action regarding sexual/verbal/physical abuse. But the story of Macbeth may not be the clearest point of departure. Overall, Fearless Imp’s and CTB Production’s version is brave and the story, while altered to fit the concept, is straightforward and clear. The point is taken. The battle is lost and won.

McCadden Place Theatre, 1157 McCadden Place, Los Angeles; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; through April 29; www.survivingmacbeth.brownpapertickets.com.; Running time: two hours and 30 minutes with a 15 minute intermission.