Macbeth By William Shakespeare

Macbeth

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Joey DeMita

Black Box Theatre at Arsenal Center for the Arts

November 22-30, 2013

F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company

Review by Zvi A. Sesling

Staging a Shakespeare play can be quite difficult even for the most professional theater companies and FUDGE proves itself up to the task.  Joey DeMita’s direction brings out some fine acting from Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to the three witches, who are particularly frightening with their hissing and murderous intent.  Dave Rich making his FUDGE debut with a number of others in the play is an energetic and convincingly mad Macbeth, his ability to retain and recite the many lines is admirable. Linda Goetz (Lady Macbeth) is excellent in her slightly understated role.  This is the third time I have seen Ms. Goetz and she never fails to succeed, no matter the role.

Among the supporting actors there are no failures; each plays his role well. There are no obvious flubs or missteps by the FUDGE debut actors which includes Timothy McGuire (Dunjcan/Doctor/Siward), Benjamin Medeiros (Banquo/Menteith), Tim Kimani (Ross), Grant Jacoby (Malcolm).  In particular, Mr. McGuire is interesting in that this is his stage debut having previously appeared on television and in movies. 

And a note about Sam Greene (Apparitions/Macduff’s son), seventh grader at Brookline’s Runkle School. He appeared more than adequately in last season’s Assassins and his growth can be seen in his acting ability.

DeMita’s directing is always sharp—lines are rarely missed, positions and movements always timely. James Petty’s set design while sparse is used well for location changes,

witches’ cauldron and ghostly apparitions. Steve Bergman’s music is eerie and well integrated into theme of the play.

Most important is that Shakespeare was well ahead of his time as a psychologist depicting things already known: tyranny, treachery, violence and murder while mixing it into a bowl of ambition, guilt, madness and revenge to cook up a delicious tragedy that some four hundred years later FUDGE can enthrall audiences.

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Zvi A. Sesling

Reviewer, Boston Small Press and Poetry Scene

Author, King of the Jungle and  Across Stones of Bad Dreams

Editor, Muddy River Poetry Review

Publisher, Muddy River Books

Editor, Bagel Bards Anthologies 7 & 8