Macbeth review, Stratford Circus

Macbeth is the story of a power hungry warrior who, egged on by his scheming wife, murders his king and wrests power to fulfil a witches' prophecy. Shakespeare's take is unremitting, a bloodbath in which even children are axed and all around are cauldrons and ghosts and fear and guilt. It's a surprise then to discover the Indian version currently being staged at Stratford Circus is rich with laughs. The witches are low hanging fruit in this respect. Presented as hijras - singing and dancing eunuchs  - they exude camp evil as they shimmy around the stage in their sparkly saris. The dancing soldiers and a dance scene featuring Macduff's son shortly before he is bloodily murdered, had us laughing out loud. It's all a bit random.

Yet Jatinder Verma's production is so elegantly directed and choreographed that nothing happens by chance. What are we to make of a Macbeth brim-full with contradictions? It's a tragedy that's partly comedy and the comedy works better. The framing is Indian but there is nothing in the presentation that demonstrates an Indian sensibility. This is a tale about murder and megalomania, but Robert Mountford's unfeasibly handsome Macbeth is so laid back he's like a man getting steadily more irritated because he can't find his car keys. As Lady Macbeth, Shaheen Khan has the look and feel of Vikesh from The Voice - lots of drama, not a lot of conviction. They're the least scary pair in the pack.

The tension in the piece is supplied by Hassan Mohyeddin's score, delivered by Rax Timyr who drums and beatboxes playfully, creating and building mood particularly around Kev McCurdy's meticulously choreographed fight scenes. Claudia Mayer's spare set bears no Indian imprint, but the costumes are fabulous. The men wear suits in earth colours, draped with sumptuously decorated Kashmiri type scarves. The women are the least colouful in a pleasing reversal of the norm.

In conclusion: This is an interesting Macbeth, but the comedy and the lack of consistency declaws what should be visceral theatre. Plaudits to Shalini Peiris who steals all her scenes, playing the porter as a Sri Lankan maid and milking the sexual imagery for laughs. Umar Pasha's grieving Macduff, despite being played with back to the audience, is deeply moving.

References
Macbeth, UK Tour, Details and tickets


Stratford Circus, Theatre Square, London E15 1BX