A well-known thespian superstition warns against uttering the name “Macbeth” in a theater or it could spell bad luck during a performance. People in the theater have told stories for generations about the accidents that have befallen unlucky individuals who tempted the evil spirits by uttering the cursed play’s name.
But director and fight choreographer Jonathan Cole defiantly stares in the face of superstition with William Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play,” which only has 13 actors and is the 13th play Cole has directed.
“I don’t buy into (the superstition) at all,” said Cole, who is completing his doctorate degree. He said he even began rehearsals on April Fool’s Day.
“Macbeth” is the bloodiest of the Bard’s plays and tells the story of a warrior consumed by desire and avarice. Macbeth murders the king and betrays his best friend’s son to protect his new-found sovereignty. Once he has seized the throne, Macbeth suffers through guilt, betrayal and sleepless nights, which leads to the destruction of himself and the kingdom.
Cole, who is certified by the Society of American Fight Directors, said he has used his 10 years of experience with Ju-Jitsu, Judo and Aikido to choreograph the fight scenes.
“It’s a very fight-intensive show,” he said.
Although the play originally pitted Scottish warriors against each other, this production has fused Japanese-style costumes movement with British broadsword fighting, Cole said.
“It’s a displaced world in a mythical time,” said senior Quinn Mattfeld, who plays Macbeth.
Mattfeld said the play is “very tech heavy” with lots of special effects.
“There will be some moments of gore and no lack of blood,” he said.
The physical ability of the actors has made many of the fight scenes possible, Cole said.
“Quinn is a tremendously gifted athlete,” he said. “He’s able to do choreography that other actors couldn’t do.”
And the ladies will have plenty of opportunities to show their fighting skills as well, he said. Some of the male roles will be played by women.
“There are some really kick-ass women in this” play, he said.
In a fight between Macbeth and one of the female characters, Cole said she not only makes Macbeth look good, but she also “holds her own.”
Other strong women in the play include the wëird sisters.
“The wëird sisters are incredibly amazing and strange,” said Curtis Williams, who plays Ross , a porter and an armorer named Seyton. “They are ever-present. They harvest the bodies” from the stage.
To break up the dark tone of the play, Williams’ character as the porter will provide some comic relief in between bloody scenes. He said the porter has several moments of drunken foolery that will lighten the mood.
Williams said he was not worried about invoking bad luck from the “Macbeth” curse. We’re going to “throw caution to the wind,” he said.
“Macbeth” is the final production in the University Theatre’s 2001-2002 season. The play will open 8 p.m. Friday at the Robinson Theatre. Performances will continue on Saturday and May 30, June 1 and June 7 to 8. A special benefit performance for St. Vincent de Paul will be held at 2 p.m. June 2 in the Robinson Theatre.
Tickets are $12 for the general public, $9 for University faculty and staff members, senior citizens and non-University students and $5 for University students. Tickets are available on performance days only at the University Theatre Box Office in Robinson Theatre. Tickets are also available at the EMU Ticket Office.