Attending a play steeped in madness and murder is an adventurous act at the best of times, but flying solo on a grim, rainy evening feels like a true gamble. Pulling back my damp hood as I escaped the downpour and stepped into Sale Waterside—undeniably one of my favorite local venues—I immediately sensed a shift in the air. The hushed foyer hinted at the intense experience waiting inside, establishing a mood for an evening that, while deeply ambitious, ultimately left me a little underwhelmed.
Inside the main theatre, that quiet, contemplative atmosphere transitioned seamlessly into the wonderfully claustrophobic tension of Macbeth Alone. Condensing Shakespeare’s sprawling tragedy into a fifty-minute solo show is a monumental feat. Stripped of an ensemble cast, the spacious stage is cleverly transformed into an intimate cell through the fantastic work of designer Sue Condie. Despite its simplicity, the bare set crackles with a heavy, electric energy. Elizabeth Purcell’s sound design wraps around the audience from the outset, using the ominous cawing of crows and a continuous trickle of water to perfectly mirror the rain outside. It genuinely feels as if you have stepped straight into a waking nightmare.
The physical and mental stamina required for such a demanding piece is undeniable, and Chris Garner throws himself into the lead role with unwavering commitment. Tasked with portraying every character, betrayal, and daggered vision, he shows a total dedication to the doomed king. His enthusiasm is infectious, pulling the audience to the edge of their seats as he physically wrestles with the text. The clever manipulation of simple props deserves special mention. A stark metal bucket and a painted curtain serve as brilliant proof that extravagant spectacle is unnecessary when a performer leaves everything on the stage. Garner skillfully uses his physicality to summon every shade of Macbeth’s guilt and paranoia.
However, to be completely candid, two genuine distractions pulled me out of the immersive experience. The first was an ongoing struggle with the sound balance. The directorial choice to rely on Garner’s natural, unamplified voice was likely intended to convey a raw humanity, but in the large space of the main theatre, it sadly had the opposite effect. The heavy atmospheric sound design frequently overpowered the dialogue, leaving Garner’s performance buried beneath screeching owls and scraping noises. When a solitary voice carries the narrative weight of a Shakespearean tragedy, losing it to the background audio breaks the spell entirely.
The second challenge stemmed, ironically, from my own deep affection for the play. To accommodate a breathtakingly short runtime, the script has been drastically chopped and remixed. Iconic lines are reassigned or delivered wildly out of context, blending scenes into a highly fractured timeline. While I had no trouble following the plot, hearing these familiar phrases delivered out of place clashed with the masterpiece I hold so dear. Instead of getting swept away by the poetry, I was forced into mental gymnastics trying to reconcile the remixed dialogue, which persistently pulled me out of the story.
Converting a sprawling tragedy into a solo show is a brilliantly bold experiment, and this production boasts genuinely great concepts alongside an outstanding leading performance. While the sound imbalances and the jarring textual remix meant it did not quite hit the mark for me, I retain a deep respect for the creative effort. Accompanied by a polite, rather than rapturous, round of applause, the fever dream finally concluded. Wandering back out into the dreary night and pulling my hood back up, the cold hardly bothered me. The evening may not have been flawless, but Macbeth Alone remains a brave, fascinating attempt by a dedicated local venue and a courageous actor, leaving an impression that lingers like a heavy Scottish mist.
Canal Street Card holders get 20% off at the Waterside bar. You can find all the details at vip.canal-st.co.uk
Review by
James