The Scottish Play

The motto of Frog and Peach's theatre company is "Shakespeare is for everyone." Their goal is to provide shows which are "beautifully acted, respectful to the text, but with a cinematic pace that could sweep modern audiences to new worlds of fun and entertainment."

They have managed that with their current production of Shakespeare’s DAMN SCOTTISH PLAY which was brisk, fresh, lively and intense.

This production asks the question, "What if a Mad Man were king?"

Lord M. is a noble lord and loyal supporter of the King of Scotland. When three witches address him and his fellow lord (Banquo) out on a misty plain, they indicate that he will be raised to be the Lord of Cawdor, and then to King of Scotland. They tell Banquo that he will beget kings of Scotland. Once Lord M. is reunited with the King after a successful battle, he is indeed bestowed with the title "Lord of Cawdor." Can his position as Scotland's king be far behind as prophesied by the three witches?

He sends a message to his wife, Lady M. who delights in this news but worries that her husband is too passive to ignite his own ambition. She vows to help him achieve his royal goal.

She welcomes the king and his entourage (including the king's sons Malcolm and Donalbain). After some initial resistance to his wife's plan to murder the king, Lord M. lights a fire under his ambition and will now stop at nothing to gain the crown. In effect, he has lost his mind, murdering every person who could stand in his way of becoming king.

The set (Evan Frank) offers a simple upstage curtain and includes a spiral staircase leading up to a wrought-iron second level which nicely expands the action; at one point allowing the witches to gaze down upon the mischief they have both created and predicted.

The costumes (Victoria Brown) are a perfect mix of earth tones: army green trench coats and ribbed black or brown layered sweaters; button down shirts and black boots and a perfect muted red turtleneck and brown pencil skirt with boots for Lady M.

Perfectly cast, every character is clearly defined and involved 100% even when the focus is not on them. The two leads, Lord and Lady M, have excellent chemistry with an element I have never seen before: the more mad Lord M becomes, the more amorous he is toward Lady M. This physical connection is both alarming and thrilling.

The show is expertly directed- by Lynnea Benson-smooth and sure with excellent energy-filled pacing and no wasted time on stage. Every detail is specifically crafted down to the pre-show music featuring the psychedelic folk song "Season of the Witch."

Without a doubt this is one of the finest productions of the Scottish Play (or any play) I have seen in the last decade. Run, don't walk, to experience it.

HAPPY FACE PLUS