Banquo: It will be rain tonight.

First murderer: Let it come down.

You can’t beat a bit of Shakespeare on a summer evening in the grounds of an Oxford college. But you can wash it out, which unfortunately happened at this evening’s performance of Macbeth at Lady Margaret Hall by the Creation Theatre. As the audience took their seats at round tables in front of a grassy stage, the first drops of rain began to fall. Despite the company’s valiant efforts (rain ponchos were provided), after one short scene we all had to leave the atmospheric eeriness of the grounds, complete with black banners, creepy music, and red lamps, and decamp to the college’s small theatre. The indoor performance was still enjoyable, but it felt somewhat hampered by being enclosed.

In spite of the space restrictions, the Creation Theatre puts on a strong performance. The setting of this production places the classic Shakespearean tragedy in a twentieth-century military hospital, with the sound effects of war echoing through the background music. The military garb and hospital setting provide an excellent setting for the play, although for the most part they seem incidental to the narrative.

The cast is made up of only six actors, which is a bit of a surprise when they come to the final bow. Aside from Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, each cast member plays a number of large and small roles, and it always feels as if there are more people on stage than this. Scott Ainslie’s portrayal of Macbeth’s descent into madness is chilling – his swagger and bravado giving way to paranoia and fear. Laura Murray as Lady Macbeth begins her role delightfully wickedly, and ends it tragically in the horrible scene on the ramparts of the castle, desperately trying to remove the ‘damned spot’ from her hands.

The space causes some issues for the sound of the play. Being close to a speaker and off to one side means that I am almost deafened by some blasts of sound effect, but cannot really hear all the dialogue if one of the actors isn’t miked up. This is a shame, and I would like to go back and see (and hear) it in its proper setting.

I recommend that you go and see this production of Macbeth anytime until September 13th, but maybe check the weather forecast first! ★★★☆☆ @BookingAround

Tickets are available at www.creationtheatre.co.uk

Photos by Richard Budd