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BrumHour saw Macbeth at the invite of The RSC.
By David Fox x.com/DavidFoxTheatre
Macbeth at The RSC, The Other Place: Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”An intense, haunting, and powerful production.”
Directed by Daniel Raggett
Aka The Scottish Play. Shakespeare’s gripping exploration of ambition, guilt, and moral decay. Scottish Lord Macbeth’s encounter with three witches ignites a dangerous desire for power. Manipulated and spurred on by his equally ambitious wife, he murders King Duncan and descends into paranoia and tyranny. Dark, intense, and haunting, Macbeth stands out as one of Shakespeare’s most compelling tragedies – a chilling reminder of how unchecked ambition can destroy even the most noble soul.
Daniel Raggett, whose acclaimed Edward II played in the RSC’s Swan Theatre earlier this year, directs Shakespeare’s story of love, power, and ambition in the intimate setting of The Other Place.
Macbeth has been produced by the RSC many times, and there have been many different versions with their own unique spin. This latest production is certainly bloody, bold, and resolute by having the novel idea of setting the play in a Glasgow pub! This makes an unusual but effective production in a very intimate and claustrophobic setting, drawing the audience directly into the dark, oppressive atmosphere. The gritty urban backdrop brilliantly reimagines Shakespeare’s tragedy as a story of gangland violence and turf war, where loyalty, betrayal, and power struggles feel brutally real. This modern twist not only intensifies the drama but also highlights the timeless nature of ambition and corruption.
Sam Heughan makes his RSC debut as Macbeth. Lia Williams is Lady Macbeth. Heughan was brooding and intense throughout, commanding the stage with a dark, simmering energy that made his descent into madness both believable and compelling. He delivered the famous soliloquies with real emotion and depth, particularly later on, capturing the despair and exhaustion of a man consumed by his own ambition and violence. His portrayal was brutal and violent yet layered with moments of vulnerability that made this Macbeth both terrifying and tragically human. Lia Williams’s Lady Macbeth, meanwhile, offered an unusually tender and maternal side, particularly in her protective instinct toward Macduff’s children, which added a striking emotional dimension to her character. Her journey came to an incredibly shocking and moving end, leaving a lasting impression of fragility beneath her strength and ambition.
The ensemble cast was strong and brought energy to every scene. Nicholas Karama was a menacing Banquo, entering with a bloodied hammer and evoking shades of Trainspotting’s Begbie. Jamie Marie Leary was excellent as Lady Macduff, showing vulnerability that made the play’s violence feel even more real. The production was full of brutal, visceral moments that left the audience emotionally drained, particularly the offstage hammer-blows that signaled Lady Macduff’s fate, leaving the theatre gasping in shock.
Special praise must go to set and costume designer Anna Reid, who completely transformed The Other Place into a grimy, dingy 1970s-style Glasgow pub. Every detail, from the stained ceiling to the worn pub carpet (you felt like you could stick to it), added to the authenticity, making the intimate space feel like a fully immersive experience – you could almost smell the tobacco smoke. The costumes added to the gritty feel, accentuated by the presence of weapons like knives, hatchets, hammers, and crowbars, giving the production the sense of a real gang war. The lighting was particularly effective, with Banquo’s ghost bathed in blood-red light, underscoring his haunting presence and the sense that he was dragging Macbeth toward hell.
Daniel Raggett masterfully directs an intense, haunting, and powerful production of Macbeth. At times visceral, bloody, and uncomfortable to watch, the play grips the audience with its raw energy and unflinching brutality. This is Shakespeare meets Trainspotting meets – a modern, visceral and utterly compelling interpretation that leaves a lasting impression. An excellent production.
‘Macbeth’ is at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, for a limited run until 6th December 2025. While performances are mainly sold out, there may be some returns available. Tickets and information here: rsc.org.uk/macbeth.
