Macbeth
Review Excerpts
at Colorado, 1982
“A roller-coaster ride through decadent modernity. Macabre, beautiful, and indeed, topless, the witches set the keynote. Macbeth’s eloquence and hallucinations came as much from champagne as from the horror of his deeds. Lady Macbeth’s power over him was openly sexual, underlined by her slinky gowns and her uninhibited sensuality. ‘Experiment’ had full play, and the audience – alert, startled, sometimes amused – relished director Robert Cohen’s sensational approach… The reviewers and a busy box office confirmed its success. —Shakespeare Around the Globe: A Guide to Notable Postwar Revivals, 1986.
at Utah, 1997
**** (four stars, highest rating)
“Steeped in shadowy trappings of the occult, this “Macbeth” reverberates with the eerie echoes of its own dark sorcery as Shakespeare explores the deadly consequences of unbridled ambition. But, thanks to director Robert Cohen’s imaginative vision, this “Macbeth” also plays like an old-fashioned monster tale, complete with a creator who doesn’t realize the dangers inherent in tampering with the natural order of things. Director Cohen and a sterling team… create a setting of electrifying dread, bathing the stage in ominous crimson hues.” —Las Vegas Review Journal
“MACBETH’S STARS ACT WITH PASSION. Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” gets a new look, [giving] this tragedy of fateful ambition a modern feeling [and] an uncommon sophistication with Dan Robinson’s colorful thrones, elegant draperies, and tarot-decorated walls, and with costume designer Dean Mogle’s ice blues, bright golds, and deep reds. This is clearly a civilized world which contrasts sharply with the barbaric actions of Macbeth and his Lady… . Seldom is the play shown to be as passionate: Martini and Iannone bring a lustful desire to their performances which explains their hold on each other. …”Macbeth” is filled with many fine performances and a fresh vision… —Provo Daily Herald
“Macbeth” will keep you on the edge of your seat.” —Deseret News
“If you want to persuade someone about the moral folly of unbridled ambition and the lust for political power, send him to a performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth in Cedar City.” editorial, —Salt Lake Tribune
