DRAMAT Presents “Macbeth”
Students brought Fisher Theater’s Black Box to life last weekend, portraying the dark, the macabre and the supernatural as DRAMAT’s production of “Macbeth” unfolded on stage. Directed by senior Ruby Fludzinski, the production of the classic “Scottish Play” was set in the world of a 1970s New York mob, an appropriate twist that kept the play new and exciting. The Black Box surpassed its seating limit for all three productions.
Fludzinski explained that she has wanted to direct “Macbeth”—which is not only one of her favorite Shakespeare plays, but also conveniently one of the shortest—since she first read it in seventh grade. She held auditions at DRAMAT’s tryouts in the winter, and after acquiring a cast, she led practices five days a week for five months. She came into the show with a clear vision of the setting of Brooklyn mobs, with a plan to emphasize the role of time in “Macbeth” and a desire to keep the three witches central to the play.
As audience members poured into the theater, the three witches, played by upper Zea Eanet, senior Eliran Oz and postgraduate Hebe Hilhorst, paced, hissed and shrieked around the seats, which added to the supernatural and feral atmosphere, the three witches stayed onstage for most of the performance, each repeating unique sounds and gestures throughout the course of the play.
“After the feedback we got, I just felt so proud and thankful to the cast for working so hard.”
Fludzinski adeptly achieved her hope of the three witches feeling both punk and inhuman. “The witches were probably the most fun because I wanted to make sure they played a central role in the whole thing,” she said. “I really think Macbeth is a story of fate, not free will, and the witches are the ones who perpetrate that destiny for Macbeth.”
Senior and DRAMAT board member Caroline Sullivan described the witch scenes as her favorite parts of the play, especially in the ways they worked with the play’s modern-twist. The witches “just had such great energy to them,” she said. “ It was really cool having the modern take on the play but still keeping that supernatural element in it. I just think the witches did such a great job differentiating all their characters and also just working together.”
Senior Quinn Hickey, who played the lead, and upper Charis Edwards, who starred as Lady Macbeth, were a formidable and compatible duo. Their scenes, laced with seduction, fear and madness, were described by many as captivating. Hickey impressively embodied his role of becoming the haunted and increasingly mad Macbeth. Senior Caroline Sullivan commended Hickey for his utter immersion into the role. “He brought so much intensity to the show,” she said. “He had so much to memorize and so much work to do, but still managed to do such an exceptional job.” Upper Aden Choate agreed and said, “Quinn Hickey was spectacular in his role of a haunted, deeply disturbed Macbeth.”
Edwards, who captured both the power hungry and seductive Lady Macbeth with alacrity, was also commended highly for her acting. “Charis as Lady Macbeth was fantastic,” Sullivan said. “Her energy was great. She just really got into the character.”
The play received high reviews from students and faculty alike. Theater instructor Peggi McCarthy noted the sophisticated technical details it employed. “I’m impressed with how tight the production was, with fluid connections between scenes and the witches, [who kept] an evil eye on everything,” she said. “The limited colors—black and red and a little white—also helped the impact.”
Particularly impressive is the fact that the performance was not a mainstage play; Fludzinski and the cast had to allot a significant amount of time out of their weeks to rehearse. McCarthy admired Fludzinski’s dedication. “The terrific acting showed the depth of Ruby Fludzinski’s commitment—she planned well, cast fine actors and then rehearsed over two terms,” McCarthy said.
Sullivan held admiration for the entire cast. “I thought the casting was done really, really well and the acting was just really great,” she said. Similarly, Choate described the performance as the best “MacBeth” adaptation she has seen, particularly in light of its modern spin. “Ruby’s vision for the setting of 1970s New York City was impressive,” Choate said. “Her dedication and hard work over the past two terms paid off, as did that of the actors.”
Fludzinski herself expressed gratitude for the support she received during preparation, not just from the cast, but also from a variety of members of the Exeter community. Designer and Technical Director Cary Wendell built the large platform that made up the set and helped Fludzinski acquire props. Events coordinator Kelly McGahie offered to send an email advertising the show, senior Heather Nelson drew the picture for posters, English instructor Patricia Burke washed the “bloodstains” out of the cast’s costumes and Chair of the Theater and Dance department Robert Richards also helped with props. Fludzinski offered her thanks to all who helped, including her cast.
For Fludzinski, the arduous rehearsals helped her become closer with her cast and respect them as actors. “We became so close by the end,” she said, adding that they managed to stay optimistic despite the high expectations she had of them. “I was asking them to memorize Shakespeare roles and meet with me once or twice a week, on top of all the other stuff they do, and they didn’t only do it, they did it with a lot of positivity and friendliness and overall great energy,” she said. “And they killed it. They did an amazing job. It was incredible. It was really fun to get to know all those people.”
The show was without a doubt a success for the entire cast, and a wonderful end to Fludzinski’s DRAMAT career at Exeter. The cast’s rendition of “Macbeth” made the play truly unique—not only were the witches portrayed in a new light, emphasizing the role of fate in the play, but the setting of a Brooklyn mob was fresh and fitting, bringing a darkly modern feel to the production.
“It felt amazing,” Fludzinski said. “The first night I was so nervous, but by Sunday I was just so proud. After the feedback we got, I just felt so proud and thankful to the cast for working so hard.”