Terrifying witches with disturbingly pale faces and tattered clothing reciting lines in creepy, high-pitched singsong. Intensely brutal fights choreographed over every inch of the stage. Grown men sporting fashionably appropriate facial hair and kilts. Kentucky Shakespeare’s impressively dramatic and spooky take on "Macbeth" has everything Louisville needs for an exciting night this summer.
As another remarkable season of Shakespeare in the Park approaches its final performances, it’s safe to say Kentucky Shakespeare saved the best for last. Though the play is considered one of William Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies, "Macbeth" has become one of the local theater production company’s biggest successes and one of Louisville’s most fun things to do this summer.
Serving as the season finale of this year’s Shakespeare Festival in Louisville's Central Park, "Macbeth" certainly doesn't disappoint. Following the other two productions presented by Kentucky Shakespeare this summer, "The Tempest" and "The Taming of the Shrew," which are both less dramatic comedies, "Macbeth" surprises Shakespearean first-timers and frequent Shakespeare in the Park patrons alike.
"Macbeth" is full of surprises. While opening the play with a violent battle scene leading to the title character’s triumphant victory, audience members find themselves right in the middle of the action as actors loudly run through the rows of benches wielding weapons. Before one of the play’s classic scenes, spectators catch a glimpse of the three witches as dark figures creeping among the trees in Central Park as they approach the stage.
You can catch Kentucky Shakespeare’s performance of "Macbeth" in Central Park on the last night of its run on Tuesday, July 14 and then again sporadically between July 15 and 26 as all three plays of the season are performed in rotation. For the complete schedule, visit Kentucky Shakespeare's website. Performances begin at 8 p.m. each night, and, as always, admission to Shakespeare in the Park is free!
Photo courtesy of Kentucky Shakespeare.
