“Macbeth”
Written by William Shakespeare
Showing: Greasy Joan and Co. at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport, through May 25
Tickets: $10-$20
Contact: (312) 458-0718; greasyjoan.org

By Brian Kirst

Contributing writer

Reversing expectations implied by the pitch-black activities occurring in Shakespeare’s well-paced “Macbeth,” Greasy Joan and Co.’s current production of “the Scottish play” takes place in a brightly lit corridor reminiscent of a hospital or asylum setting. While this always-inventive company does indeed manage to shine some new light upon this classic work, its overall tone is ultimately disturbed by a lack of cohesiveness among its talented performers.

The major revelation is the audience sympathy that emerges for the titled, royally villainous character. Director Julieanne Ehre wisely plays up the aspects of Macbeth’s manipulation—double-edged prophecies and a power-hungry, seductive mate—to instill a unique awareness of the well-known character’s downfall. The would-be king’s portrayer, Dana Wall, particularly in the show’s emotionally bloody second act, also instills the proceedings with a juvenile confusion and troubled heart. This provides a clear understanding of the degree to which outside forces contributed to the downfall of a once proud warrior. As with many well-rounded classics, this production of “Macbeth” also retains it political pertinence centuries after its inception. The dialogue of the vindictive Macbeths and their subordinates perfectly echoes not only the rivaling tensions between the different political parties, but also the vicious squabbling occurring between current Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Ehre’s witches (the seductive, rhythmically powerful Karisa Bruin, Tien Doman and Megan Faye Schutt), who interrupt the battle-fatigued Macbeth with revolutionary prophecies at the show’s beginning, are whirring, clicking marvels. Their throbbing energy is a direct contrast to the solid King Duncan (a steadfastly calming Craig Degel) who, as they predicted, immediately honors Macbeth with a new title. Spending the night at Macbeth’s lodgings proves to be Duncan’s undoing, though. The greedy Lady Macbeth convinces her husband to kill Duncan, and soon the newly crowned King Macbeth’s insecurely murderous rage sweeps across the land. Ehre incorporates music (a revelatory “Lets Face the Music and Dance” bewitchingly performed by Erica Elam), noir-style clothing (created by the talented Lindsay Pate), medical imagery, Kevin Asselin’s athletically bold fight choreography and a vibrantly haunting sound design (provided by Andrew Hansen) to recreate the above with brash ease.

Unfortunately, Ehre is unable to guide her gifted cast to a common ground in their performances. Some attack their dialogue with swift passion, others with guarded deliberation. A few get so swept away with the power of the language (including the velvet-voiced Sharina Martin as Lady Macbeth in her opening scene) that the thought processes behind these majestic and difficult characters are totally lost. These are roles that give seasoned veterans dramatic nightmares and the majority of this cast simply does not have the experience needed to bring all their layers to the fore.

Exceptions include Doman’s vibrant confidence as Menteth, Greg Wenz’s comical porter and Nick Mikula’s proud Malcolm and greasily dangerous first murderer. Most impressively, the prodigiously talented Kevin Cox further stretches his multiple skills as a deep-lunged, passionately aggressive Macduff.