Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence, Assembly George Square Studios Review
Written by Kerry McLaughlin for Theatre & Tonic
As you walk into Studio One of George Studios, seven women stand on stage, adorned in pink lighting, stretching for the impending match, the only set pieces being a net and a bench. Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence takes the classic Shakespearean tragedy and transfers it to an interschool girls' netball team so seamlessly that if you hadn’t known of the original play, you’d think this musical was an original concept.
The show itself has a noughties high school film vibe to it, think Bring it On or Mean Girls, exploring the hierarchy that is pressured on teenagers, especially those within sports, to be the best of the best. Every song had a reason to be there and helped guide the piece along, my personal favourite being “Claire The Hair”. My one major complaint is the costume design, pink exudes throughout the show in every aspect; however, personally, it would have been nice to see the use of different shades of the colour to exaggerate certain areas of the show. Seeing the divas in a deep magenta colour could have evoked the metaphorical bloodshed that they are aiding in, and Summer in a baby pink, showing her kindness but also her vulnerability to be taken advantage of.
Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence pokes fun at its Shakespearean origins whilst also honouring it, the music brings something new to the table, effectively pulling the audience into the world of girls' netball without going overboard.
Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence plays at Assembly George Square Studios until 25 August.
★ ★ ★ ★
