Well, how do you conceive of this? Actors with glasses, presumably of plonk, or beer cans performing Macbeth as a cowboy play. Given the company has the, perhaps temporary, title Sloshed Shakespeare, maybe it's apt. And maybe they were drunk. Dunno. Certainly they had a good time, what with murders and moving forests and the like and handguns for knives and a close audience to involve and that frequent horse riding motif. This was all upstairs at Smiths, in MacGregor Hall, small and cosy with seating quite temporary. I was lucky to get a last minute ticket when it was otherwise sold out. Had a good chat to the Canadian-Australian next to me studying archaeology at ANU, but didn't so much as get a name. But then I almost didn't get names for the cast until I noticed signs on the back of some seats with a big QR code. I'd rehashed Macbeth from Wikipedia and still confused acts, but then the rich difficulty of standard Shakespeare was just augmented with cowboy articulation so I missed a bit. I didn't miss the laugh and joy and playfulness and improvisation of the cast, Lady Macbeth once slithering up the corridor to collect for their chosen charity and good on them. Suffice to say this was a blast and a joy and must had had the richness and complexity of the original in there somewhere. Certainly there was a forest. I could highlight a few cast, perhaps Ava and Sam who stole the show at various times, but it would be somewhat barkin' at a knot. Just a blast and the most pleasant of outings. Must skedaddle.
Shakesoc (ANU Shakespeare Society) presented Sloshed Shakespeare in Macbeth in Macgregor Hall, upstairs at Smiths. Overseen by Jamie Campbell (director) with cast Ava Ferrari (Lady Macbeth), Caitlin Daw (Macbeth), Julia Wedgewood-Oppenheim (Duncan, Macduff), Sam Odgers (Banquo, Malcolm) and an ensemble of various roles comprising Gerogia Macdessi, Belinda Lawrence, Caitlin Selge and Georgia Nolan.
