Macbeth – Hull Truck Theatre

Writer: William Shakespeare

Director: Mark Babych

This new production is presented by Hull Truck, Bolton Octagon and Derby Theatre and directed by Hull’s ever-reliable Artistic Director Mark Babych. With a cast list reduced to ten (plus two excellent members of the Young Company) it’s a genuine attempt to re-visit the play in a contemporary setting, but keep it true to Shakespeare’s original concept. Unfortunately, as many directors/actors have found in the past, Macbeth is a tricky beast to keep hold of.

Before the start the set by Rachael Canning promises much to come, a menacing prison-like structure with a row of what look like cells on a gallery. In fact, limited use is made of it, though at the start a hospital trolley surges through curtains at the back with an apparently dead body that then rises up as the Bloody Sergeant to narrate the progress of battle – a dramatic start!

The oddity of Macbeth is that, apart from the Macbeths, no important character is significant throughout the play. Duncan and Banquo die early, Malcolm, a cypher at the beginning, comes into his own in Act 4 and Macduff, Macbeth’s nemesis, again registers only near the end after brief early appearances. Babych skilfully demonstrates the continuity of Banquo’s family by later appearances by a royally robed Fleance, providing a nice climax to the production.

However, this oddity of construction means that Macbeth and his lady have to be their own worst enemies. They have to generate a growing concentration of evil. Oliver Alvin-Wilson and Jo Mousley certainly have their moments, her behaviour at the banquet scene, for instance, a horrifying premonition of her final madness. He achieves the right mix of venom and conscience without ever exploiting the connection with the audience of his confessional soliloquies.

Simon Trinder (Macduff) and Cayvan Coates (Malcolm) bring the often tiresome scene in England to life, but both are then involved in the unconvincing battle scenes that follow. It’s difficult, when everybody’s carrying a gun, to explain why the whole thing ends up as hand to hand combat. Daniel Poyser is a conventionally honourable Banquo and the three witches emphasise the other-worldly evil of the roles, even minus a cauldron.

Shakespeare’s medley of lords, servants and messengers is customarily chopped and merged these days and Babych chooses to unite a multitude of lords in Ross, played with impressive dignity by Benjamin Wilson. The great problem character, the Porter, is a kind of music-hall act that you can leave as it is or update totally. Babych does neither and the part goes for little as Colin Hurley (also a dignified Duncan) leaves much the same and invents modern, unfunny equivalents for those doomed to Hell.

Judicious pruning throughout removes various characters totally, including the English Doctor and the two Siwards, but the large school parties will have found the issues of the whole play much clearer, even if they might miss the excitement and terror.

Runs until 28 February 2026