By David Gordon
Maureen McFeely’s one hour adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” makes it significantly easier to say the title. It is, of course, widely believed to be cursed if you say it inside a theater. That’s why “Something Wicked,” the title of the Drama Department’s touring companion piece to “The Tempest,” (at the Adams Playhouse March 7 & 14 at 2 p.m.) is much safer choice.
Director Robert Westley very much believes in the curse, going as far as to refer to the character himself as “Mac.” Westley teaches movement, stage combat and acting in mask for the drama department. His production, which utilizes eight actors (a number of whom are doubling in roles), will, therefore, have a firm grounding in the topics in which he specializes, an opportunity to use what he trains his students to do.
“Macbeth” is already short. “It’s a challenge,” he says, “to make sure that you’re representing the story,” what he believes to be “a tragic love story between two people who make some very bad decisions.”
“It was much harder to cut ‘Macbeth’ than ‘Romeo and Juliet,'” says McFeeley, referring to last spring’s production, which she also adapted. “With Robert Westley as director, we were able to use pantomime for several battles, for the murder of Banquo and for the slaughter of Lady MacDuff and her children.”
Westley emphasizes the physicality of the production, both on stage and off. “The actors will be constantly running on or backstage. They’re needed at every moment and they’ve been great.” Also part of the challenge is the fact that a number of the characters, including the Weird Sisters, will be performing in mask.
“Rehearsals focused very much on physicality and character development,” adds Louis Aquiler, who plays the title role. “From the beginning, we’ve all had to find where our character lives physically. We also spent a great deal of time on the complicated fights, choreographed beautifully by Travis Youssef.”
“The biggest challenge,” says Jackie Nese, who doubles as one of the Weird Sisters and Lennox, “is keeping track of the scenes and where you need to be at all moments of the show. Add costume changes on top of that and it’s pretty hectic backstage. We’ve actually had to make some exit and entrance adjustments to accommodate the quick changes.”
In fact, exits were responsible for the re-institution of dialogue that McFeeley had removed. “In cutting the Porter scene to eliminate references that modern audiences might not understand, we realize that we had to put back some cut dialogue. There was a dramaturgical reason for Shakespeare’s inclusion of that scene: M. and Lady M. must have time to get offstage to change into their night clothes and to wash their hands of Duncan’s blood.”
McFeeley originally titled the piece “Toil and Trouble,” after the famed incantation by the Weird Sisters. She later changed it, thinking that “Something Wicked” would be more resonant with high school audiences, which will, thanks to a grant, be able to see the production when it tours Long Island and various boroughs. It is very exciting for the cast.
“This is a great opportunity,” says Lauren Cook, who doubles as one of the Weird Sisters and Malcolm. “It forces us to be aware of our surroundings.”
“It will be a very challenging experience,” says Aquiler. “We will have to adapt the show to each new space, including several of the fights which have been choreographed specifically for the Adams Playhouse.” He’s also very excited about the ability to play in front of a wide variety of audiences.
But about that curse. Aquiler makes it clear that he does not believe in it. “If you’ re scared to say the name of the show you’re in, I think you’re giving yourself stress that you simply don’t need.”