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Show I Maddened monafchs twist the knife in J ' : i : : ' The Park City Shakespeare Festi- 3.1 Q KaCbeth are sexually motivated in seeking I vol IS playing at the Resort Center at V - power. . f.rte C'ty..fei Area with ;' ,,.m, it,mw,,,w,., ,,, s .Vcr" W , Cjk' " - - -c ' " When Ixidy Macbeth pushes her product of "The Merchant of I , , , .; ff , , husband's courage "to the sticking n JCL(P!e!'!!tef every !nday) . ' " ' v J K 1 point," she almost prostrates both of slrZT (P I V. i ,V ' , . , them on the floor.P,A major peeve: i iurday. , I , X ' ' "Macbeth" and the other plays This week, concluding a three-part V ' ' ' . " '. 1 stage several important scenes on ,1 series Record entertainment critic l ..... v , ; , '; - , ' : the floor directly before the front RcfcBroughloofcs at "Macbeth." . ' ; row. In that position, most of the j The festival, presented by the . , V ' ; audience can't see the action!) MeF70U'?ltQ'Act0rS. E"S!b 6 I " V ' The best performance of the play, T mUC,tSS I V : however, comes from Brent MaU inrougn August. . y' V ; thews. As Macduff, he seems to be i , I ' I V J . ' middle stage between callow ! by RICK B ROUGH . i V v. . youth and crusty battle-hardened Record staff writer t v 1 ' . , 1 age. Subtly, he portrays a harsh "'.' i V i no-nonsense man who yet can feel , I I - :1 his personal losses deeply. tffttt 'I I I At the end of the play, he looks as Jflff acbeth' is known as the though he's been through more hell J4tlbad luck play in the . ( I I ' ' , than the Macbeths. Shakespearean canon. - .... . 1 J-fcA I ''" Tony Leger gives a fresh feeling to . ? As if that wasn't enough, the Park works. Director Tony Leger finds I S i ments of doom, nothing will stop him several scenes in the familiar story, j City Shakespeare Festival has a new drama and emotion in the text,! I hurtling to his fate. When King Duncan's murder is ;l tradition that its Saturday night which is the most exciting thing! , 'y fi3rJ f Thompson also has the most discovered, the ensemble of actors ' drama encounters bad weather or these plays can do. 1 I Jbeautiful vocal delivery of any vividly conveys whirling chaos has ' other troublesome circumstances. Linwood Thompson, as Macbeth, f TSJ"11 '' 0" l festival actor. It's all the more re- descended on Scotland. : , All of that should be kept in mind if and Wendy Robinson as Ladyl .s sS. I grettable, then, that his soliloquies Another good example is a scene I make criticisms of the play. The Macbeth, are malevolently majestic. I V",wt', can't easily be heard. He was where Lady Macduff (Erica Bennett) i production is flawed, but it was not a Director Leger talks about the story 1 w- drowned out by the storm opening and her son (Robbie Smith) are I good night for the production. On as one of "dark energy" and nignt but a more basic concern is murdered. In a brief span, you come ! opening night, it poured. Thompson is the embodiment of the 1 that his voice is swallowed up by the to feel for these people and are 5 Unintentional humor crept into the idea. On the surface, he is the y J acoustics of the tent, especially when horrified by their deaths, thanks to ; , play, When Banquo said, "It will, affable servant of the realm. Under- he throws nis speeches to stage the deft portrayals of Bennett, ' rain tonight," the audience burst out neath he is raging ambition. As soon f V right. Smith, Erick Melton and Jim Odder. " laughing, not noticing that two as the three witches predict he will J Wendy Robinson wields a deter- Another fine group in the play is f seconds later the character was be king, Thompson seems spurred mined stillness as Lady Macbeth and the trio of cackling witches Heidi I i murdered. by evil, and though he trembles oc- f f makes you believe Leger's interpre- Burnett, Andrea Blake and Tiffiney And yet, in many respects, the play casionally with doubt or presenti- n V tation of the play that the couple Linton. . ..o ui k .ny onaRespeare tesu- j val is playing at the Resort Center at I the Park City Ski Area with productions of "The Merchant of , Venice" (presented every Friday) and "Macbeth" (presented every Saturday). This week, concluding a three-part series, Record entertainment critic 1 ! JRicfe Brough looks at "Macbeth. " I The festival, presented by the Intermountain Actors Ensemble ' (ME), wiil continue its schedule through August. !t by RICK BROUGH Record staff writer " nut w rill acDetn' 's known as the Wl'bad luck play in the Shakespearean canon. , As if that wasn't enough, the Park j City Shakespeare Festival has a j I tradition that its Saturday night ' J drama encounters bad weather or ' . other troublesome circumstances. . All of that should be kept in mind if I I make criticisms of the play. The A production is flawed, but it was not a 1 good night for the production. On ! opening night, it poured. 5 Unintentional humor crept into the ;) play, When Banquo said, "It will. I . rain tonight," the audience burst out r ' laughing, not noticing that two seconds later the character was t ; murdered. And yet, in many respects.the play i.' ; are sexually motivated in seeking power. When Lady Macbeth pushes her husband's courage "to the sticking point," she almost prostrates both of them on the floor. (A major peeve: "Macbeth" and the other plays stage several important scenes on the floor directly before the front row. In that position, most of the audience can't see the action!) The best performance of the play, however, comes from Brent Matthews. Mat-thews. As Macduff, he seems to be in a middle stage between callow youth and crusty battle-hardened age. Subtly, he portrays a harsh no-nonsense man who yet can feel his personal losses deeply. At the end of the play, he looks as though he's been through more hell than the Macbeths. Tony Leger gives a fresh feeling to several scenes in the familiar story. When King Duncan's murder is discovered, the ensemble of actors vividly conveys whirling chaos has descended on Scotland. Another good example is a scene where Lady Macduff (Erica Bennett) and her son (Robbie Smith) are murdered. In a brief span, you come to feel for these people and are horrified by their deaths, thanks to the deft portrayals of Bennett, Smith, Erick Melton and Jim Ockler. Another fine group in the play is the trio of cackling witches Heidi Burnett, Andrea Blake and Tiffiney Linton. works. Director Tony Leger finds! new drama and emotion in the text,! which is the most exciting thing! these plays can do. 1 Linwood Thompson, as Macbeth, and Wendy Robinson as Ladyl Macbeth, are malevolently majestic.l Director Leger talks about the storyl as one of "dark energy" and Thompson is the embodiment of the idea. On the surface, he is the affable servant of the realm. Underneath Under-neath he is raging ambition. As soon as the three witches predict he will be king, Thompson seems spurred by evil, and though he trembles occasionally oc-casionally with doubt or presenti- ! ments of doom, nothing will stop him hurtling to his fate. Thompson also has the most beautiful vocal delivery of any festival actor. It's all the more regrettable, re-grettable, then, that his soliloquies can't easily be heard. He was drowned out by the storm opening night, but a more basic concern is that his voice is swallowed up by the acoustics of the tent, especially when he throws his speeches to stage right. Wendy Robinson wields a determined deter-mined stillness as Lady Macbeth and makes you believe Leger's interpretation interpre-tation of the play that the couple j ...as medieval hijinks animate the Resort Center 'greensward' L . '. ; '. , .... The Park City Shakespeare Festival players leave the mask of tragedy behind when they handspring onto the grassy greensward near the entrance to the Alpine Slide at the Resort Center, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:15 p.m. -' '' " ' The 20-minute show a grab bag of song and dance, silliness and swordplay not only whets the audience's appetite for the Shakespearean main event that follows on the lower level at 8 p.m., it's a banquet on its own. Left: Robbie Smith, Jim Ockler (center) and Tiffiney Linton shed crocodile tears. Below: Neil Rogers is foiled again by Marty Van Lienden as Andrea IJlake looks on. Right: Steve Nichol and Heidi Burnett exchange bawdy banter. 1 I n I I c M if ' ' N - ?v !1 v '! iw i'-ji .. . Mr I ' 1A at iT . ; . t - fc. jit . j . J tf "ill x V - V- , 1 photos by Robin Moench ' t - r " I t "' " h (L - ' ' " . '. " ' -. r--J' y fit |