Ottawa’s own Bear & Co. theatre company played with fire in their production of Macbeth—literally. Fire-dancing witches and atmosphere-setting acapella musical numbers served to make this rendition of a bloody classic different from any other.
Macbeth made its mark outdoors at Ottawa parks all summer, and wrapped up with shows at the Gladstone Theatre from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1.
Director Eleanor Crowder stated in the program that “In this world, women’s power is clandestine, but all-pervasive. Where the Queen’s Men dressed men to play women, we do the reverse.”
Cast and crew deliver on this promise, adopting a policy of “gender-blindness” in their casting: twenty-one roles were split between seven actors, five of whom are women.
“If our audience can buy me as Banquo or Alexis [Scott] as MacDuff, which they certainly seem to do, why shouldn’t we have a chance to play them?” Rachel Eugster, the show’s music director and one of its actors, said.
There is much more that makes this show unique, beyond the fact that characters such as Banquo, MacDuff, and Duncan are all played by women. The witches, who metaphorically play with fire in the story, get to do so literally on stage, led by fire captain Zoe Georgaras. The stunning visuals of live fire onstage are complemented by the talented vocals of the entire cast.
Crowder and the cast have also managed to imbue humour and lightheartedness into the bloody and tragic tale we are all familiar with. The chemistry and camaraderie between Macbeth (Chris McLeod) and Banquo (Eugster) is such that the audience felt a palpable sense of mourning as their friendship dissipated along with Macbeth’s sanity. This renders the effect of the scene with Banquo’s ghost all the more powerful.
Yet another notable performance was Doreen Taylor-Claxton as Lady Macbeth, who gave a notably haunting vocal performance that strengthened her already-powerful rendition of the iconic character. Her chemistry with Chris McLeod, as well as her nuanced and skilled monologues, made her simply a joy to watch.
As the performance was originally staged outside, adapting it for the inside of the theatre presented a unique challenge, according to Eugster, but it was one the company rose and met with seemingly effortless grace. The space constraints didn’t seem to stop the actors from walking through the audience, fully immersing patrons in the show.
All told, I can absolutely say my first experience with Bear & Co. and Gladstone Theatre was an incredibly positive one. A talented ensemble, well-placed music and sound effects, and a fresh new interpretation will cement this performance into the memory of all who saw it.
