Rockbeth opened with a cracking full-cast rendition of the AC/DC standard, Thunderstruck. The show your reviewer saw had a slight delay in starting, owing to some technical issues with the sound system. These continued during the show, but this did not phase the cast – fair play to them – and they soldiered on. It was a triumph.
Whoever paired up the musical soundtrack with the on-stage action was a genius. The ruthless Lady Macbeth was Black Magic Woman. The murder of Banquo by the paranoid Macbeth was illustrated by Don’t Fear the Reaper. The Three Witches danced to I Put a Spell on You. The haunted Macbeth and his guilt-ridden wife are “very superstitious” (Superstition).
This interpretation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth really brings the horrors of that old standard to a new life. I’m aware that there are various other productions of the Scottish Play on at the Fringe this year. I doubt that any will better this one.
Rockbeth deserves to be a musical and theatrical sensation with standout performances from the three terrifying witches, from Lady Macbeth and the backing band who did so much to conjure up the atmosphere.
Reviewed by David Kerr
Click here to see our Songlist Special inspired by the music of Rockbeth
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