| A Solo MACBETH - Absolutely Brilliant |
| Tuesday, 19 June 2012 00:24 | |||
 BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND - AN OFF-BROADWAY EVENT "THAT PLAY" A Solo Macbeth NOW THROUGH JULY 12 Starring TOM GUALTIERI Written By TOM GUALTIERI & HEATHER HILL Directed By HEATHER HILL Original Music & Sound By ERIN HILL 'That Play' is a brisk one-man 'Macbeth' adapted by Tom Gualtieri with Heather Hill (director) and performed by Mr. Gualtieri, a slightly built young man with a subtly flexible set of facial expressions and a mischievous, conspiratorial manner. He does all the parts and even some of the action, including a sword fight or two. His witches are entertaining and his Lady Macbeth is especially creepy. The wonderful thing about this show is how much is accomplished with so little. You can tell a good story compellingly with little more than a few square feet of space and a little ingenuity. It's always astounding to be reminded of how much worthy theatre is out there, invisible most of the time, beneath the glare of Broadway. Mr. Gualtieri's achievement is highly entertaining and very effective. If you think there is nothing left to be said about 'Macbeth', think again; Tom Gualtieri is ready to prove you wrong. He not only dissects Shakespeare's bloody masterpiece for the audience's benefit, but also gives sterling portrayals in all of the play's roles. With the help of co-adaptor and director Heather Hill, Gualtieri succeeds not just at making what many might consider a difficult play understandable, but making one of Shakespeare's darkest plays a great deal of fun. That his performances wouldn't be out of place in a full production of the show is merely another feather in his cap. He also finds a great deal of comedy to add to the presentation. Whether explaining Lady Macbeths decorating philosophy or her gardening habits, or wryly commenting that, in Scotland, being dead is no excuse for missing a dinner invitation, his humor is lighthearted and irreverent, but always derived from the play itself. He doesn't need to rely on tricks or obfuscation – it's right there on the page, if only you know how to find it. STAGE LEFT STUDIO - 214 West 30 Street – between Seventh & Eighth Avenues - Sixth Floor For more Times Square articles like A Solo MACBETH - Absolutely Brilliant, please visit the Stage Features Section of TimesSquare.com
|
