The ETSU Theatre Department’s production of “Macbeth” had supposedly been “revamped” to appeal to a younger audience with the addition of futuristic costumes and heavy metal music meant to remind one of a video game. As I entered to view the play Thursday night, I suppose that I was Macbeth’s target audience: a young geeky student who loves video games, heavy metal music and usually trembles in fear of the slightest mention of iambic pentameter.
The play itself was entertaining. The acting was mostly average. The set was well designed but terribly static. Set changes between scenes were basically non-existent.
The characters were covered with tattoo-like markings from head to toe that to my best guess were meant to represent this futuristic generation of humanity. The unique face paintings were well done and consistent in style and probably took a long time to apply to each character. But they could have been more creative with the overall futuristic look. I am not talking about Shakespeare in space exactly, but I just don’t see how putting characters in second-hand clothing from the ’80s, placing large swords in their hands and adding strange markings to faces make it futuristic.
The three weird sisters played by Elizabeth Choate, Aubrey Shaver and Jillian Neal, did a good job with their roles, and I give them major props for being on stage for almost the entire length of the play without taking a breather.
Herbert Mark Parker who played the roles of King Duncan and Porter put on a fabulous show, and kept the audience laughing throughout each of his scenes.
I found the best scene to be in the second act when Macduff’s character, played by Everett Tarlton, delivered his monologue after he learns of the death of his wife and child. This scene was so well delivered that it made me want to cry right along with the actor.
The heavy metal music was an interesting twist, and I still have mixed feelings about it. At times it seemed misplaced. Even video games have soft music when it fits the scene.
While watching the sign language interpreters attending the play, I came up with an idea that I think would help me relate more to this play. If I, too, had an interpreter . only a slightly different kind of interpreter, I wouldn’t constantly feel so lost in complex dialogue that is Shakespeare. For instance, when Macbeth states:
“I have almost forgot the taste of fears.
The time has been my senses would have cooled
To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair
Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir
As life were in’t: I have supped full with horrors;
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts,
Cannot once start me.”
The interpreter could summarize with something like “Dude I am so not scared.”
And as for the fight scenes, perhaps when that heavy metal music kicks in, a screen could appear in the background, resembling that of an RPG game engine allowing us to see the different options of ‘attack’ for each character (1. Slasheth with sword, 2. Curseth with plague, 3. Break into another monologue), as we watch the health level drain and the winning character gain experience points per kill.
Overall, the play as a whole I found to be enjoyable. But if you are simply looking for something modern and geeky, stay home and salivate over that new Wii.

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