Macbeth - RSC

I saw this last too. What a hot mess. I liked the scene with Macduff and Malcolm and thought it was clear and non gimmicky and they made sense and it sounded like Shakespeare.

The rest - urgh. I thought Eccleston was ok. I hated Cusack's flaily performance. I hated the giant projected words and I didn't like the clock. I didn't get the porter at all. The witches were ok but not anywhere near as creepy as they could have been. If there hadn't been that interview with Niamh Cusack about Lady M being haunted by her childlessness, I would not have picked up on it. I didn't feel much chemistry between the Macbeths, and no sense at all of plotting or scheming or any gradual descent into guilt or whatever.

I have no idea what they were trying to do. I remembered at the interval that Polly Findlay did that godawful Merchant of Venice that I hated. I don't think this was as bad as that, but it was close.

Finally got round to this as the middle part of my RSC weekend. I have to say I thought this was fine. Ecclestone has clearly settled down to the role compared to all the early criticisms I've read, they've trimmed out little bits as well I think. Cusack was good too. Didn't mind the clock (though they still were obviously playing for time in the fight at the end which kind of mucks that up) as I could see where they were trying to go with it when the porter does the reset as Fleance moves to stage front. Thought the girls as witches worked really well, including all the furniture shifting, as it makes clear they are essentially present throughout, and ties in with all the notions of predestination from the era (especially for a Scottish court as James' largely was). I saw the ever present porter actually in much the same way. There were bits that didn't work as well, the most blatant to me being that Edward Bennett and his jumper was a misfire, unless they were trying to show that MacDuff is useless...

Saw this tonight and didn’t much enjoy it. Not going to rehash previous discussions but thought Chris E wasn’t great and Macduff a complete disaster.

Tonight was an “integrated signed performance” which was the first one I’d been to. This means that the signer is onstage, interacting with actors and contributing to the action - “comic business” with the Porter, being dragged around stage by Lady M, that sort of thing. It was so well done that I did wonder if I’d missed that the show was always signed. In the post-show Q&A the signer revealed she’d only been in rehearsals today, although she’d worked with the DSM to plan some of the blocking etc beforehand. One audience member who understood BSL said the signer had done a fantastic job interpreting the poetry of Shakespeare into BSL. Niamh Cusack said in the Q&A that tonight had been a remarkable night because the audience response had been amazing which she put down to the signer’s energy and participation. I thought the signer was probably the best thing in this...

One other thing revealed in the Q&A which puts an interesting light on some of the comments previously...

Saw this tonight. I’d been a bit tepid going in because I had a vague memory of it not being warmly received on here.

Loved it. Totally loved it. Theatre was packed with school groups who also loved it.

Ecclestone must have been rehearsing. Not a flub to be heard. He was taut and muscular. Found the rhythm in the verse. I was in the third row and I could not take my eyes off him.

I had less time for Niamh Cusak. She started too high and left herself nowhere to go. Shrill, and flaily as others have said. Nice dresses though.

Expected to hate the children but they were very creepy and I agree they punch home the childlessness of the Macbeths.

Clock was spot on tonight with the final slash exactly en pointe. I gasped. Takes a lot to build tension when you all know what’s going to happen.

I might go again. This is straight up and by the book. Loved it.

The hopeless NT production is even worse though, that's limping around the country till the end of March - I see it's been totally re-cast for the tour though.

TodayTix are doing Rush tickets for the RSC one at the Barbican which are good value. 

My evening viewing tonight, which also happened to be Press Night.

Was worried by a school party on arrival but they turned out to be well behaved.

Got a good late offer and ended up in Row G Stalls, towards the side. Excellent view. I wouldn’t have wanted to be further back as sound wasn’t always great (and terrible in the sequences from the booth above the stage).

Christopher Eccleston did great. No line fluffs that I spotted. Played it a lot how he did Doctor Who.

I struggled with Edward Bennett as Macduff. Softly spoken and difficult to hear.

One of the young girls playing the three witches was also a bit out of step (or possibly distracted looking for someone in the audience).

The clock was a major distraction. Hit the interval with about 1:20:30 left. At some point in the interval it was reset, so by the end it had 38:00 left (the interval was the usual 20 minutes). Twice I noticed the clock suddenly add an extra minute or so (including in the final five minutes when it was really obvious). And in the final two minutes or slowed to about one quarter time for a while.

They did hit the finish to the second although rather ruined by the obvious clock changes).

Polite applause at the end. I’m not a major fan of these modern versions, but at least they didn’t add gunshots.

I think this one may struggle a bit, but let’s see what the reviews say.

You did well to leave and get an early night. What's next ? 

Blimey, high praise for you!

Tomorrow's matinee cancelled due to "an unforeseen engineering issue". Automatic refunds if paid by card, others need to email tickets@barbican.org.uk

(Also tonight's R and J)

How frustrating!

I saw this last week and also left at the interval ... 

The thought popped into my head early on that cast were stomping up stage, down stage, without any seeming reason, and once it was there in my head I couldn't get rid of it.  Sound issues - and I was row B!  

There were two women next to me that were with others in the row behind and as the (muted) applause end of Act 1 finished they all agreed to go off and get something to eat - must have looked pretty barren from the stage with a bunch of empty seats!

Disappointing.