PORTER'S MACBETH "A PARODY"

Porter's Macbeth is creative, innovative, HILARIOUS, energetic, witty, and magical. Turner Munch has found an original take on a classic tale. Through the Porter's eyes we experience the hilarious tale of Macbeth while only using chairs, actors, beer, and A Capella music. Beautiful harmonies, hilarious jokes, imaginative tricks, and a seamless marriage between Shakespearean text and original text. A hilarious and fun piece of theatre! Don't miss it!... full review

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This rendition of Macbeth gives Shakespeare a jolt in his grave. Director Turner Munch and the company mash together Shakespeare's verse work with modern day slang translating the classic story through the eyes of the fool, the Porter. The simplistic use of just chairs, bodies and a black box venue allows the audience to use their imagination of the setting of each scene. The company has clean and sharp transitions between scenes and spot on spacial awareness of each other while moving set pieces around the space. The "soundtrack" of a capella music gives the right ambiance for what the Porter is experiencing during each section of this wild play. The high energy and freedom of play in all the actors' performances nicely supports the crazy m... full review

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The show was unique and fresh; the tale of the drunken porter reminded me that one must laugh at life. The high energy and excellent timing combined to make The Scottish Play's tragedy hilarious. It was an outrageous whirlwind of a show! Actors boldly portrayed each character and brought them to such archetypical extremes that Shakespeare's greats were reduced to babies and bullies. However, these clownish portrayals did not leave me wanting of the characters' original humanistic colors--rather, I felt that the complexity of the story and the relationships within it all remained strangely intact, though filtered through a minor character's beer goggles. I was pleasantly surprised with the production and would recommend it highly!... full review

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This twist on a classic Shakespeare piece is original and inviting for audience's who have never seen, don't understand or are very familiar with Shakespeare's Macbeth. Porter's Macbeth will keep you in a constant state of laughter and while your mouth is still open, manages to sneak in a little truth in there. The hilarious ensemble works wonderfully in supporting each other and allowing each other to shine individually to really create a hilarious show. Comic sequences, a bit of slapstick, beer, and Shakespeare? How could it not be enjoyable? ... full review

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I loved this show. It was brilliant. It is difficult to make a parody of Shakespeare while still honoring the amazing language, meaning and depth of the original text. Somehow Porter's Macbeth is hilarious, heart-wrenching, reflective and fun. It is a fantastic idea to have the tale told by one of the lesser characters and through the eyes of the Porter. It is akin to Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, which is high praise. It was absolutely genius to have us watch the story through the Porter's eyes and see it become more dramatic when he was sobering up and grow more silly and comedic when he knocked back more beer. The director and actors clearly have a strong understanding of the play, characters and language and are a... full review

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Were throughly enjoyed this production. We've never laughed soo hard. The entire audience. Was just rolling. Very creative. Great cast.... full review

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Hands-down the most exciting show I've seen at the fringe this year, Porter's Macbeth condenses, physicalizes, and adds a great deal of humor and humanity to the Scottish Play. From the flurry of viewpoints and clown-inspired action at the onset, to the well-deserved dramatic end, this production sweeps audiences away on a highly-theatrical journey both familiar and refreshingly new. Told from the perspective of Lord Scottish Play's drunken Porter, the talented ensemble owns every single moment, whether speaking in verse, creating a haunting a cappella soundscape, or articulating the complex movement choreography from inspired director Turner Munch. GO! Now!... full review

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Incredible! I love any show that begins the moment you walk in the door. Immediately engrossing and fun! It is bare bones theatremaking at its best: actors, their voices, and the text. The original a cappella music creates a rhythm and percussion in the piece, letting our contemporary ears really hear the Bard's words. At the end we hear two essential speeches from the play, and can still feel the weight of the tragedy and guilt. Bravo to Turner and Alive Theatre! I'd see it again!... full review

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Porter's Macbeth is in one word, brilliant. These quick witted, agile actors are so engaging that I could have literally watched them all night long. My face hurt from laughing and my heart ached from the beautifully tragic end of Lady Scottish Play. Watch this play, love this play, then go out into the world and spread word of this play; it deserves nothing less.... full review

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