Macbeth (an undoing) at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

Since it premiered at the Lyceum in February last year, Zinnie Harris's groundbreaking adaptation of 'the Scottish play' has won over audiences in both London and New York.

Now it is back where it all began, and it's even more thrilling.

Multi-award winning Harris retells Shakespeare's tale through the eyes of Lady Macbeth, magnificently played by Nicole Cooper, whose journey from formidable wife and queen to crazed lunatic, dragged off in a straitjacket, is a joy (if that's the right word) to watch.

As is to be expected – and with a largely female creative team! – women rule the roost in this production. Once again, Liz Kettle, who has travelled the world with the RSC and the National Theatre, opens the proceedings, addressing the audience directly as 'misery seekers' and 'blood-sucking vermin'. As occasional narrator and, later, as one of the weird sisters as well as Macbeth's contemptuous servant, she steals every scene, causing us to laugh out loud (in Macbeth?).

Another strong performance comes from Emmanuella Cole as the heavily pregnant Lady Macduff, whose canoodling with Macbeth's friend Banquo provides some respite from the bloody goings-on. And who wouldn't want to have fun with him when he is played by the charismatic James Robinson (who made his acting debut as the young William Wallace in the film Braveheart!). Swinging a jaunty kilt he has tremendous stage presence, in complete contrast to Macbeth's character, skilfully understated by Adam Best. You'll get no 'is this a dagger I see before me' after he kills the King, but a quiet entrance which in itself is utterly chilling.

Tom Piper's set is sparse but effective and costume designer and associate set designer Alex Berry will certainly be keeping the theatre's washing machines busy. The amount of blood expelled on stage is copious, to say the very least! Which leads me to say, this is a bloody good show!

Macbeth (an undoing) is at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh until May 25.

Image: Stuart Armitt

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lyceum.org.uk