“Macbeth” at the American Shakespeare Center

By: Meghan Melberg

On Thursday, November 13, a group of over sixty R-MA students from grades nine to twelve traveled to the Blackfriars Playhouse (the American Shakespeare Center) in Staunton, Virginia, for a trip sponsored by the English Department and the National English Honor Society. Mr. Robert Davies, Mr. Brandon Sloan, Ms. Lynn Schoonover, and Mr. Bryan McCabe accompanied the students. At the theatre, the group witnessed Shakespeare’s marvelous play Macbeth on a recreation of his original indoor stage. It is made entirely of wood and lit by chandeliers and wall sconces, which allows the audience to be included in the play. The theatre also features on-stage seating on the periphery where twelve R-MA students were poked by witches, viciously stared down by Lady Macbeth, and asked knock-knock jokes by the jovial porter. 

The artistry of the actors and atmosphere of the theatre blended into a most exquisite experience. In the words of William Wong ’16, “It was glorious!” The flow of the play was never interrupted as the lights remained on during the entirety of the performance. The deceased victims did not even get up during the intermission but were dragged off stage by a rather indignant servant. All of the actors played their roles masterfully from the three witches, who were, surprisingly, male, to Macbeth himself. The audience was not a mere group of uninvolved viewers but a part of the action of the play. The actors did not just act but spoke to the audience as if they were a part a Shakespeare’s written work. From the stellar stage to the artful actors, the viewing of Macbeth at the Blackfriars Playhouse was an unforgettable adventure.