Porter's Macbeth "a parody"

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

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

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

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

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

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

An hour truly well spent. I've been hearing about Porter's Macbeth all week, and after catching a performance last night, I can say it certainly lives up to the hype. A cast member used the word "experimental" to describe the style of the show, and while I suppose that's true, I've never had an alternative theater experience that felt so natural. The actors' movements and voices rise and fall organically with the pitch of the story, and the Porter's varying degrees of sobriety are the perfect vehicle to lilt us between comedy and tragedy. These guys are polished, funny, and incredibly talented. They make it look easy even as they tackle scenes that range from hilariously funny to downright chilling. Bravo for bringing something fresh an... full review

It's no wonder this show has a perfect score. It's combination of movement, sound and text was extraordinary. Being able to tell a 3 hour play in 55 minutes is no easy feat, but to do it with such a symbiotic balance of light and dark, comedy and drama is astounding. Porter's Macbeth under Turner Munch's skilled direction left me in awe.... full review