by Esther Marie Griego
Daily Lobo
When one thinks of Shakespeare, sex, scandal and cover-ups are probably not the first things that come to mind.
But in the Tricklock Company's upcoming production of "Macbett" directed by Joe Feldman, corruption reigns and devious politicians abound.
The story of Macbett is based on Shakespeare's "Macbeth," but Eugene Ionesco has adapted it, creating a wacky take off of Shakespeare's great Scottish play.
The characters and storyline might be familiar, but Ionesco's take on the original is ridiculous and outrageous. In Shakespeare's "Macbeth" Ducan is a kind and virtuous king who is deposed by the wicked Macbeth. In "Macbett" however, an even more corrupt ruler replaces him, and the country is doomed to despair.
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This stylized, bizarre story in which corrupt rulers fight for power was published in 1972. It has enjoyed a recent resurgence, premiering in New York for the first time in 2001.
The Tricklock Company has a long history of presenting absurdist theater, and "Macbett" seems to be a perfect medium for its talents. Joe Pesce stars as the despotic Macbett, Kerry Morrigan plays the manipulative Lady Duncan and Chad Brummet is Macbett's twin Banco.
Don't let the mention of absurdism scare you, though. Macbett is fun, accessible and "a very silly play," Morrigan said.
"It is a wild and twisted version of the original Shakespeare," she said. "It is pure comedy. You should not expect anything tragic, dark or heavy."
Pesce also emphasized the comedic nature of the play.
"Shakespeare made a tragedy of Macbeth, and Ionesco made an absurdist comedy," he said.
Part of what makes this production so interesting is the radical take the actors have on their characters.
One example of this distortion is Morrigan's character of Lady Duncan. In "Macbett," Lady Duncan is a sexy, conniving character who replaces Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth.
"We've taken the character to the extreme and made her into a dominatrix," Morrigan said. "She uses a lot of seduction and force to get what she wants."
Sex also takes center stage in the production when Lady Duncan performs a "Burlesque strip tease," she added.
The political leaders in the play are also presented in hilarious style.
"Banco and Macbett are presented as precocious children, stamping their feet and complaining," Pesce said. "In one scene, Macbett is basically saying 'nah nah nah nah nah."
Unlike much absurdist theater, "Macbett" is actually funny.
Though he is dealing with the dark subjects of war and tyrannical leaders, Ionesco's play is rife with humor, and the actors of the Tricklock take full advantage of the humor in the script.
"It's an extremely physical show," Pesce said. " We hope people come and laugh a lot."
Because the Tricklock is involved in several productions simultaneously, company members had to cast outside the company. One person who showed up at auditions was State Representative Mimi Stewart. Stewart was cast as the "Lemonade Seller," who at the height of one of the battle scenes is hawking lemonade as an elixir to cure gunshot wounds.
What: "Macbett"
When: Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sunday at 6 p.m.
Where: Tricklock Performance Space 112 Washington St.
Price: $9 students, $12 general admission
