National Theatre Live: Macbeth

'Macbeth', known too as the Scottish play (have also heard Verdi's opera coined the Scottish opera), is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, with some of Shakespeare's most deservedly famous characters and lines/solliloquies. It is one of his most quotable/oft-quoted plays and one of his most accessible to study in schools, from personal experience and studying it twice (no other Shakespeare play had me studying it more than once at school).

While not one of my favourite 'Macbeths', have a preference for the Roman Polanski, Ian McKellen/Judi Dench and Patrick Stewart versions, this 2013 production seen as part of the National Theatre Live series is a very interesting and very well done one. Have never seen 'Macbeth' staged or formatted in this way, with a quite unique layout for the audience for the location, but that was what was so intriguing about this production. Just to say, different does not mean immediately bad in my book, it's when what's different is gratuitously and distastefully done when it's a bad thing, personally didn't find either the case here.

The production is not perfect. Alex Kingston on the most part is well cast as Lady Macbeth, but she does go over the top in the latter stages of the production. Have never seen such manic staging in any production for 'Macbeth' or anything involving sleep-walking.

Also found the witches disappointing. The characters should be spooky and foreboding, but the interpretations for the witches here veered on being too deranged and like they'd just escaped from an asylum.

However, this is a very atmospheric production of 'Macbeth' visually and one of the more evocative ones. Thought the use of muck and such was very effective and how it most likely would have been done if done cinematically, the lighting provides the right amount of doom and gloom without being heavy-handed on it and there is a sense of time and place that has not always been the case with "concept productions" of Shakespeare. Branagh's direction makes great use of the space and this unique layout and the drama is dark and intense, the themes of deception that 'Macbeth' is centred around not glossed over or overdone, but accessible and didn't come over as self-indulgent or excessive to me, only the sleepwalking was misjudged. Have seen Branagh criticised for this in the past so wanted to show my stance on it, also really like a lot (not all) of his Shakespeare work acting and directing and feel that he loves Shakespeare and understands him.

Branagh does a great job in the title role and didn't feel he over-acted at all and agree more with anybody regarding him as an intelligent interpretator of Shakespeare, his portrayal is authoritative throughout and his solliloquies never were delivered too slowly or like he sounded bored. If there was a slightly more manic approach occasionally, there are scenes such as the Banquo's ghost scene where that isn't inappropriate. Kingston is a little less consistent, but most of the time like in the scheming she is blood-curdling and there is a sense of at this point of the play Lady Macbeth being the instigator in the deed.

Jimmy Yuill is a noble and loyal Banquo and Ray Fearon is incredibly moving in the latter parts of the production, especially when learning of the fate of his family. The character interaction has depth and motivations and such are made clear and there is a good understanding of why characters act and things plan out the way they do, which is not always the case with concept productions.

On the whole, very good with a lot of fantastic things. Just needed some toning down in spots. 8/10

Branagh has delivered yet another spectacular performance, his subtle tone shift is able to make the dagger scene especially memorable, the film adaptation has a decent use of camera angles, great for a filmed live play.

Alex Kingston as Lady Macbeth is ideal. But it's really too bad Branagh keeps casting himself in the main roles of the Shakespeare plays he directs (although at least he's not Mel Gibson). The problem is his dreadful overacting in every S. film I've seen him do, and there are so many better actors close at hand to play such roles. I'd love to be able to show one of my lit classes a good Macbeth without resorting to the dated look of Polanski's masterpiece, but sadly, this one doesn't make it. Branagh sadly lacks all ambiguity.'

Although I have watched quite a reasonable amount of Shakespeare, I realized recently that I have tended to stay to the couple of main works that I know at least a little, and there were plenty I have not seen. Watching through film versions of the sonnets is part of addressing this, but it surprised me that I do not think I have ever seen Macbeth in any form. I know the basic plot, but mainly that is because I have read critics referencing someone as being like Macbeth or lady Macbeth, so my extension I know how they are. To remedy this I got hold of this National Theatre performance featuring Kenneth Branagh in the title role.

The delivery is filmed in a sort of theatre; I'm not sure where it was but the audience sit on both sides and the back of the stage is laid out like the front of a church. Most of the action occurs in front of this, on a long muddy strip of floor which links to the Scottish moors (even if it occasionally seems out of place in some scenes). The effect is really good, including rain effects at one point; I like the lack of stage in particular, putting everything almost in a pit. The plot unfolds as I sort of knew, although with details and lines that I was not aware of. The performances hold the space really well; Branagh is very strong in the lead and his performance aided my understanding of the words a great deal. He is well supported by Fearon's Macduff, as well as others such as Doyle and Yuill to name only a few. Kingston got a lot of praise for her performance, but for me it was mixed. At first her performance is balanced well, but later she is more manic – and not always in a way that fits the material or character. In particular I found her final scene in the dream-state to be over-the-top and almost comical in her dramatic body movements and facial expressions. The three sisters I found hard to understand at times – not sure if this was them or the acoustics of the filming.

Running only at 2 hours, this version is very well done. I found it accessible in terms of understanding the characters and interactions, with the dialogue easier to understand thanks to the performances which are generally both expressive but also helpful to the viewer. The set is unusual but as I settled into the idea, I enjoyed it more. Kingston was the only thing for me that didn't work – but like I say, it was really only that last scene where I felt she pushed things too much over-the-top.

Manchester International Festival's Macbeth Boasts Kenneth Branagh's Triumphant Return to Live Shakespeare By Armin Callo, Contributing Editor, InFlux Magazine

Another new production of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, Macbeth, often elicits a familiar sigh. "Again?" This, particularly in light of the fact that three -- count them, three – separate new and large-scale productions of Macbeth have opened in England in 2013 alone! Nonetheless, Sir Kenneth Branagh's return to live Shakespeare, after a decade's drought in this regard, at the Manchester International Festival's production of Macbeth is not to be missed. It is an electrifying experience.

The entire run was sold out in the first eight minutes of internet sales, so it is a blessing that the production is available for live HD transmission via National Theatre Live cinema broadcasts. To experience this Macbeth in community, on the large screen in HD, is a must. With very rare exception, almost everything about this production is excellent.

Let me begin with the staging. It is unequaled. The Manchester production does not take place in a theatre. No. Instead, co-directors Kenneth Branagh (Shakespeare adoptations, Harry Potter, Wallander, My Week with Marilyn) and Rob Ashford (Thoroughly Modern Millie, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) use a deconsecrated Victorian church to tell this tragedy. And such a clever use, too.

Production designer Christopher Oram places most of the dramatic action in the nave of the church space. Here, the nave is wet, muddy, damp and chock-full of medieval slush, serving as shortcut to the Scottish moors or a musty Scot castle. So effective is this use of atmosphere it even comes complete with rain to enhance the mood and feel of damp despair and dark wickedness. The audience, seated "on both sides of the stage" so to speak, is choir-style and intimate. At one end of the nave, in place of the old altar space, is a semi-circle of hard slate, stained glass, and candles. At the other end, where the organ loft once stood, we have hidden, yet operable, Gothic window vistas and tall castle parapets. These elements are effectively used for the entrance and disappearance of the three sister-soothsayers; to offer the audience watchful ghost visions and; later, Lady Macbeth's sleep walk on the castle corridors. This production's placement of such narrative devices within the context of this church space is genius. And the actors' wading through the muddy spaces – all the while staining their costumes with each pass through the nave/stage -- makes the narrative action so much more real, effective, dirty, damp, and devious.

Fortunately, the cast equals the brilliance of the staging. Supporting standouts include Ray Fearon's Macduff, Jimmy Yuill's Banquo, and Rosalie Craig's Lady Macduff. This reviewer was particularly impressed by a young Pip Pearce as Macduff's Son. Nonetheless, the standouts, to be expected, are Kenneth Branagh as Macbeth and Alex Kingston as Lady Macbeth. The two actors are well suited for their roles. Their chemistry is so believable that we can see, in their performance, how each one feeds the other in ambition, greed, doubt, and sex. If only Alex Kingston could have toned down the epileptic-fit-robotics of her sleepwalking scenes. To this viewer, I found these actions over dramatic and, in effect, diluted the effective language of Lady Macbeth's closing soliloquies. To find such a minor flaw in one bright and stellar diamond is to nit-pick indeed.

The production is breathtaking, literally. At the play's conclusion -- after all that blood and after all those murders -- grace returns to Scotland with its rightful king. And the audience sighs. Sighs with gratitude and wonder. Stunning. Catch a "live" cinema broadcast near you.