"Much madness is divinest sense / To a discerning eye" wrote the late, great Emily Dickinson, no doubt whilst wondering when all the King's horses and all the King's men would come put her back together again. And so similarly was the case with Macbeth, who could best any foe that challenged him on the battlefield, but could not stop his (or in this case, her) own mind from betraying itself. In a sparse, gauzy forest of treachery and despair, stage combat ensemble Babes With Blades presents an all-female version of one of Shakespeare's bloodiest plays, turning the Bard's well-known habit of writing for all-male actors on its maidenhead, as it were.
This is an especially fascinating interpretation because Macbeth is already saturated with gender role reversals and questions about what constitutes masculinity and femininity. Particularly enthralling is the relationship between Macbeth (Kathrynne Wolf) and Lady Macbeth (Nika Ericson), whose passionate embraces slowly turn to shimmering fury as the consequences of their greed conspire to destroy them. Add broadsword battles and a body count that rivals "Kill Bill" I and II and you can at least somewhat piece together an image of the flinty, emotional brutality that this play possesses.
The stellar cast, who play a variety of roles (many listed simply as "murderer") and include two amazing young actresses from The Viola Project, beckon the stark and ravaging forces of paranoia that encompass several of the characters' ultimate demises. Kudos in particular to Rachel Stubbs as the drunk porter (among others), for her brief, yet pithy role as "gatekeeper to Hell."
With luminous, corrosive clarity, Babes With Blades proves that you don't need to be a man to shake up Shakespeare; you just need a big enough sword. And indeed, it's about time someone brought new meaning to the phrase "girl-on-girl action."
Reviewed by Centerstage!
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