David Tennant as Macbeth - Donmar Warehouse / Harold Pinter

[BurlyBeaR]

Tix on the Noticeboard.

[kate8]

I quite liked the porter. I dread being picked on myself, but luckily I was in the circle. It was an okay balance between original text and updates. By that point the tension seemed even greater than in a normal Macbeth, perhaps because the headphones blocked some of the usual things that break your focus - sweet wrappers, coughing, etc. So I liked having a breather from being absorbed in the play before it ramped up again with the discovery of the body. Isn’t that what the porter scene is all about - breaking the tension for a bit while the actors have a wash?

[rumbledoll]

I needed some time to adapt to the headphones. In order to persuade my mind that it is indeed live and not the recording I hear I took them off completely for the first 15 mins and to be honest.. even a whisper could be heard in the Circle so tiny this place is. I put them back on as I thought oh well it was intended this way.. but still not entirely sure it was all that necessary.
I found this quite a disappointment, more of style over substance. The monochrome design is beautiful and the more affecting in the very final scene when the colour suddenly pops up. Apart from the porter (he should have cut his act at least in half, it was amusing but stopped being funny after 2 minutes or so) I found this a traditional version, no big findings or revelations (unlike the other Macbeths I have seen, e.g. John Heffernan’s character in YV production clearly having PTSD or Saoirse Ronnan’s Lady M present for MacDuff’s family being murdered). I also loved the Almeida’s take on the final image, much darker and fitting, as if to say the bloodbath will go on and on, with other faces showing the same ambition, as long as there’s such thing as power. Here the garden growing makes it too cheerful and out of logic.
Solid performances snd s nice try, but will I remember it come summer? Probably not.

[cavocado]

Jan 29, 2024 13:57:59 GMT rumbledoll said:

 I also loved the Almeida’s take on the final image, much darker and fitting, as if to say the bloodbath will go on and on, with other faces showing the same ambition, as long as there’s such thing as power. Here the garden growing makes it too cheerful and out of logic.
Solid performances snd s nice try, but will I remember it come summer? Probably not.

Good point about the final scene. I doubt anyone believes in the divinity of kings now, so it's hard to see the ending as about the natural order being restored and a rosier future ahead. I also liked the Almeida's final tableau with its suggestion that Fleance will be the next one to be corrupted by the thought of power. 

But I do think I'll remember this Macbeth, particularly as an ensemble piece, and the menacing atmosphere created by the soundscape. I think in both the ALmeida and Donmar productions the Lady Ms, Ronan and Jumbo, were more memorable for me than the Macbeths.

[theatremiss]

Jan 24, 2024 13:21:41 GMT Being Alive said:

The Porter scene in this made me the most angry at a show I've been for years - I couldn't believe what the director had instructed him to do (to the point I was going to pick up my bags and leave)

It's so frustrating because I was actually quite in until that moment.
The sound and headphones thing worked for (despite the budget airline 00s headphones)- atmospheric, with the Witches being voices adding to things for me.
Tennant I thought was terrific - really knew what he was going for and was the driving force which I haven't often seen in production.
Jumbo less successful - I think the idea works, but the execution was poor (and her choice of accent just didn't make any sense)

It was a comfortable 4 stars for me til the Porter scene, but that made me so angry that I have to settle on a 3 as I couldn't get back into the show properly after that.

I totally agree. I was second row behind the woman he “picked on”. Had he done that to me I would have left. Breaking the 4th Wall, it was an utter mess and did nothing to enhance the production

[amybenson]

Saw this referenced on twitter as proof that there are indeed plans to broadcast the show 

Macbeth runs at the Donmar Warehouse until 10 February 2024 and will be filmed for cinema broadcast later this year.

[theatremiss]

If anyone is interested I have returned 2 tickets to Macbeth at the Donmar for this Sat Eve, B34/35 in the stalls

[matty]

Saw this tonight and didn't mind the headphones. I thought they were great at the start with the witches coming through them in the dark. There were a few times where I did struggle to hear the actors over the atmospherics, but they weren't many and I think they worked when the characters were actually whispering.

Loved DT and CJ. But overall I think I preferred the Almeida version (the only other one I've seen).

[aspieandy]

I saw it tonight, as well. << SPOILERS AHOY!! >>>

You’re inviting a pretty high bar with headphones and, imo, the added texture and colours almost got them there. What got them comfortably over the bar was an added level of comprehension – divvying up the spoken and thoughts/emotions worked very well. Super clear, easier insights.

Among the big successes was obviously hearing the last breaths of mother and daughter (rather than peering at them at distance).

I also liked the non-interval interval – giving people a chance to take off the ‘phones and have a bit of a rest from it all. Tbh, it took me a moment because we were clearly off-script but confirmation (the reference to a current, unpopular politician), was helpful. Later twigged this was the guy who also introduced the evening. I'm glad he mentioned 'radio play' because, beforehand, I was worried about that.

Loved the music and, actually, all the behind the glass screen activity.

Tennant and Jumbo are in their elements here; top level performers on their game.

Really quite glad to be there. Solid choices throughout, ambitious to an extent, and I was happy to buy in.

[aspieandy]

Jan 7, 2024 1:56:17 GMT mistressjojo said:

Jan 6, 2024 17:11:56 GMT romeo94 said:

Do we think a transfer is on the cards for this? Must be tricky with the headphones?

I think the trickier part would be finding a suitable venue *and* David Tennant Bing available at the same time
The man never rests!

I imagine all of this was planned - and in the important diaries - over 12-months ago. Details and issues long since sorted.

As long as the momentum of the run holds up, they know exactly the where's and when's.

[lynette]

Tennant batting for the NHS now. Lots of little tweety messages etc.

[dip]

Saw this last night and absolutely adored it. Thought the headphones were brilliant and added a nice sense of horror/othewordlyness to the production. Surprisingly brutal as well, in places

[galinda]

David Tennant just said on the radio this will have another run in the autumn, theatre tbc.

[Always@thetheatre]

David Tennant just confirmed on radio 2 that they are doing another run of this in London in the autumn

[mrnutz]

Saw this on Wednesday night and wasn't enamoured. I thought Tennant was fantastic but when he wasn't on stage the whole energy dipped. Jumbo was disappointing.

Also found it visually very uninteresting and with the doubling up of parts yet everyone wearing the same costumes it was confusing at points to know who was who.

That standup part - cringe.

Enjoyed the sound design in the headphones, did not enjoy my extremely uncomfortable seat in the circle.

3/5

[sam22]

Any gossip about the transfer, which theatre etc?

[Rory]

Feb 13, 2024 15:15:45 GMT sam22 said:

Any gossip about the transfer, which theatre etc?

No gossip but if it hadn't mentioned an Autumn opening, this could have filled the late summer gap at the Noel Coward nicely.

[Rory]

I have a feeling this may go to the Gielgud, after Opening Night and before Oliver!

[theatrelover97]

Went to this last week. It was well acted and I enjoyed the staging but it was also aomewhat flat.

[mistressjojo]

DT is doing o/s fan events through to August, so looking like late September at the earliest for this transfer

[Rory]

Looks like the West End transfer is being announced tomorrow at 10am to an ATG venue, so either the Duke of York's or the Harold Pinter.

[bigredapple]

Apr 22, 2024 11:08:03 GMT Rory said:

Looks like the West End transfer is being announced tomorrow at 10am to an ATG venue, so either the Duke of York's or the Harold Pinter.

Do we know if Tennant is transferring with it?

[Rory]

Apr 22, 2024 11:22:15 GMT bigredapple said:

Apr 22, 2024 11:08:03 GMT Rory said:

Looks like the West End transfer is being announced tomorrow at 10am to an ATG venue, so either the Duke of York's or the Harold Pinter.

Do we know if Tennant is transferring with it?

I couldn't imagine a transfer without him!

[Always@thetheatre]

Apr 22, 2024 11:22:15 GMT bigredapple said:

Apr 22, 2024 11:08:03 GMT Rory said:

Looks like the West End transfer is being announced tomorrow at 10am to an ATG venue, so either the Duke of York's or the Harold Pinter.

Do we know if Tennant is transferring with it?

He spoke about it transferring when he was on the radio 2 breakfast show back in Feb. I can't imagine he'd have talked about it if he wasn't transferring with it

[aspieandy]

Clearly the plan from first mootings. DT: go big or go home.  

Would have thought through the West End headset issue at that point, as well.

Either a team is dusting off their Dewalt drills and checking battery packs, or there is a bluetooth option that doesn't allow sets to go missing at the end of the performance. What they came up with at the Donmar worked well enough. Any other options?