Reduced to one hour, Deadkat productions version of Macbeth galloped through Shakespeares tragedy using light projections and puppetry to enhance their interpretation of the Scottish play.With a minimal set and pared down costumes, moving silhouettes including those of gnarled hands to signify the witches added sinister depth. Lady Macbeth looked the part with her long and full black hair, looking like an ancient celtic queen, however sometimes her delivery was inaudible; equally Macbeths haunting eyes fully expressed the horror of his unfolding drama but was sometimes disappointing in his delivery.The visual media worked with varying degrees of success, for instance the projection of the dagger was a really good idea, but elicited some giggles from the audience. This may have been because the line, Is this a dagger I see before me?, is almost too familiar. The projection of the dagger then jerkily moved across the ceiling and walls, which took away from the impact of a pivotal moment.Similarly the puppet was a good idea, but didnt seem to work, due to delivery. In a weighty piece of drama, the puppet lessened the impact of Malcolm, whereas in contrast the use of silhouette for Duncan worked well by adding majesty to this role.Towards the end, the screens are used superbly to show in silent motion the queen disappearing into the woods to kill herself, blending theatre with the cinematic to great effect. The play was warmly received, which is the best indication that the overall impact was a resounding success.
