By William Shakespeare
Druid
Mick Lally Theatre, Galway
July 16, 2025
*****
The Tragedy of Macbeth was first performed over 400 years ago, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest plays ever written.
After an appetizer of J.M. Synge’s Riders to the Sea, we were given a 30 minute break, before returning to our seats for the main course.
The play sees Marty Rea‘s accomplished general set his sights on becoming King of Scotland. Encouraged by his ambitious and bloodthirsty wife, played by Marie Mullen, Macbeth murders his way to the throne, before losing his mind and meeting a grisly end.
Francis O’Connor‘s breath-taking set sees the Mick Lally theatre redesigned into something between a Greek amphitheatre and a mart. From an elevated position, we look down into a pit, the floor covered in soil, feeling as if we are about to witness a bare-knuckle boxing fight from the 1800s.
For those who find Shakespeare daunting and difficult to comprehend, this production is likely to convert. Indeed, any fans of Game of Thrones are sure to enjoy this thrilling interpretation; Banquo’s murder proving to be every bit as shocking as The Red Wedding.
Garry Hynes‘ direction ensures that the characters can be understood and the story can be followed, even by the uninitiated. The word ‘pretentious’ – which is so often thrown around in relation to Shakespeare and theatre in general – cannot be uttered here. This is an accessible, entertaining production, wherein the cast for the most part lean into their own accents, making this a very Irish version of ‘The Scottish Play’.
As Macbeth, Marty Rea may well deliver one of the finest performances of his career, but he is helped by his supporting cast, notably Rory Nolan as Banquo, whose stage presence tends to draw your eyes away from everything else. Seán Kearns is also impressive in a variety of roles, but mainly as Duncan. His stately aura makes him a convincing king, giving the production an almost cinematic feel.
A truly magical experience. Will it be as powerful in The Gaiety? It is unlikely. Being 1 of only 73 audience members is what makes this run in Galway so special.
That is not to say that the play is not worth catching elsewhere. The tickets for Galway are long gone, but I would strongly advise making the trip to Dublin if you can. You won’t regret it.
Druid’s production of Macbeth runs at the Mick Lally Theatre until July 26, then goes to The Gaiety from September 25, to October 5.
