Macbeth Sleep No More

Edinburgh Fringe – The Space

William Shakespeare’s plays have been staged and re-staged time and time again, in many different forms, settings, genres, each theater company trying to bring something new to an age-old and familiar story. Shadow Road’s Macbeth Sleep No More is the latest attempt at trying to present a new interpretation of a story so old that it has its own superstition attached to it. 

Emma King-Farlow’s adaptation of Macbeth follows Shakespeare’s play very closely, adding in bits and abridging others to place slightly more emphasis on the three witches and their role in the tragedy. Of course, Shakespeare can be interpreted in numerous ways and fits a variety of purposes, but it undermines the point of the original play; the tragedy of Macbeth is that yes he is tempted by the witches, but ultimately the decisions are his. King-Farlow’s adaptation takes away his agency and makes him an almost sympathetic character – after all, how can Macbeth who is just a man compete against these supernatural forces? How can he have any sort of control over his decisions after these witches tipped the scales against him? It completely defeats the purpose. The witches originally are supposed to be a plot device to present this choice, but originally, he had one. King-Farlow essentially pushes the character into it by stacking the odds against him. 

“Macbeth Sleep No More is good Shakespeare, but it’s just Shakespeare.”

The costume design and performance over the course of Macbeth Sleep No More are the strongest parts of it, making just an adaptation of Shakespeare a little bit more interesting. Colour is used to show the different families and characters within this play, the contrast and shifting of allegiances. It’s such a clear binary of primary colours that creates a uniformity that clearly sets out the power dynamics within the show. 

The cast show incredible acting prowess, lending a lot of heart and technical skill to moments and soliloquies that are difficult to execute well. They all add layers to these characters that are usually only shown in one light. Amy Floyd’s development of Macbeth’s character arc is incredible, we can see the stark contrast of his demeanor as the show progresses. Even so, Floyd plays with the concept of the linear character arc and there are moments when we catch glimpses of pre-witches Macbeth. There is a genuine connection and tenderness in the performance between Floyd and King-Farlow’s Lady Macbeth. It’s a gentleness that really humanizes the couple and makes us actively root for them to succeed. Victoria Adler’s performance in her numerous roles is in such contrast to one another that it seems like she’s an entirely new person every time she comes onstage. Her Macduff is practically award-winning; a rather basic and forgettable character usually, Adler shows us the hell hath no fury beneath the character’s usual stoic manner. Whilst there isn’t much room for variation in Sarah Robertson’s roles, in her performance as King Duncan and Malcolm, there some overlap to the point the only difference between the two is their costume, but also emphasises just how useless the both are.

Macbeth Sleep No More is good Shakespeare, but it’s just Shakespeare. There’s not enough to persuade us that there’s anything more to it than replicating the Bard’s work. 

By Katerina Partolina Schwartz