Niles West Theatre Presents: “Macbeth”
Uros Tubic converses with Ella Ilg
Feb 26, 2019
The Niles West Theatre Department debuted their production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” this Thursday, Feb. 21 for their community performance at 10:00 am. The talented crew and cast, which stars senior Roland Teivans as Lord Macbeth, went all out for their last play of the year with bold musical choices, a beautifully designed set, impressive acting, and an interestingly modernized interpretation of the Shakespearean tragedy.
Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” tells the dramatic and tragic story of a Scottish general who becomes entirely consumed by political ambition after receiving a prophecy by three witches that he would one day be the King of Scotland. Fueled by a hunger for power, the play illustrates the consequential physical and psychological effects of insatiable ambition on Lord and Lady Macbeth as they conspire to murder King Duncan.
While reading or watching Shakespeare can often be difficult and sometimes even boring for many high school students, Theatre director Andrew Sinclair did a fantastic job of adapting the play in a way that not only captivated the audience but maintained the true essence of the story as well. Even the old Shakespearean language, which can be challenging to understand, was much clearer in the show and allowed viewers to more easily follow the plot.
The modernized “Macbeth” was also executed wonderfully by the talented actors of the show. In addition to watching Teivans’s and Amber Ilise’s portrayal of the self-destruction of Lord and Lady Macbeth, viewers also witnessed most of West’s actors taking on multiple roles within the play with complete confidence and eloquence. No matter how vastly different the characters or how odd the scene, (i.e. Banquo’s creepy, but numerous ghost scenes), the actors of the show were more than enjoyable to watch.
The actors weren’t the only ones who transformed this Shakespearean play into the great show it was. Those behind the scenes who worked on lighting, sound, and props were the key players in running a smooth show. Not only were there very realistic sound effects depicting the nature of certain scenes, but there were also some very bold rock or hip-hop beats that intensified the plot. And who could forget the very realistic and horrifying severed head of Macbeth — which looked exactly like Teivans?
As their last play before the end of the year musical, the Niles West Theatre Department produced a fantastic show. Although Shakespeare is not always my cup of tea, the play was enjoyable and entertaining to watch. It was truly amazing to witness the dedication and passion of some of my fellow classmates who are graduating this year, as well as the underclassmen who took on bigger roles in this production.
