“When our actions do not our fears do make us traitors.” – Lady Macduff, 4.2
The Shakespearean tongue is one that many people know exists, most likely because they had to read Romeo and Juliette their freshman year. However, very few people can truly understand the meaning behind the words, but over the past few months performers at Frederick joined that group.
On Thursday, November 6, Frederick Theatre opened Macbeth, bringing classic Shakespeare back into the halls of Frederick. The show starred familiar faces like Frank Nicks as Macbeth, Joey Summers as Banquo, Kennedy Fisher as the queen, and many more.
The show featured the classic story of Macbeth portrayed in front of the crew’s beautifully executed set. The backdrop included castle walls, trap doors, forest scenery, and much more.
When the audience was first introduced into the world of Macbeth, it was easy to get a little lost in the complex Shakespearean story. With the quick story beginning, which begins with a battle and then immediately transitions into the three witches delivering the prophecy
Junior MaKenna Klepper, who had a number of roles during the performance, said that “it was probably difficult for the audience to understand that everything that happened was because of the witches and their part in the story. The events that occurred were also something that was going to throughout the next kings. That’s the picture that is supposed to be portrayed at the end when Malcom is crowned king.”
While this may have been difficult for audience members to adapt to, a few rereads of the play’s synopsis—which the department kindly put on the back of the program—allowed people to follow along as the story progressed.
After the opening, the audience is introduced to other characters such as the King (Axton Fifield), the Queen (Kennedy Fisher), the Fight Captain (MaKenna Klepper), and Malcom (Cooper Siders).
Kennedy Fisher, a sophomore who played the queen, said that the queen was difficult and fulfilling to play because she starts out as narcissistic and cruel before slowly realizing what she’s doing is wrong. She also just loved that “I just love the complexity put into her and the character development.”
As the actors swiftly embodied their roles, they allowed the story to come to life. Even though their sound system was down, the actors did a phenomenal job at pronouncing their Shakespearean lines and projecting for all to hear.
Kennedy said that she “made sure to practice my lines every night, mostly focusing on articulation and projecting because of how crucial it is to hear every word we are saying.”
By the end of the first act the king, along with several others, was dead. Macbeth was on his way to taking over everything. No one was going to get in his way…until the second act.
More fight scenes broke out; some were lucky to escape, but others (such as Lady McDuff) were met with a different fate. The witches come to further explain the prophecy, and ghosts of victims past come to haunt Macbeth. He has blood on his hands, but he will stop at nothing to keep his new crown on his head.
Frank Nicks continues pouring himself into his role until the very last scene, where his wrong (Macduff, played by Liam Pettit) came to make things right.
The performance ended with Macbeth being killed and Malcolm being crowned king.
While the story was confusing and the diction complex, the actors at Frederick truly brought the show to life. They embodied all Shakespeare had to say and are now in the running for Thescon MainStage for their performance.
