Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence
A Shakespeare-infused musical about high school politics in a netball team? It might sound like an unlikely mash-up, but it works ridiculously well.
A single-minded pursuit of Year 12 captaincy of the netball team is the central thrust of this twist on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, with Mac Beth willing to do anything to be appointed the head of the Dunsinane Hell-Hounds. Using malicious gossip, gaslighting and the occasional burst of physical violence, Orla-Jean Poole is an excellent Mac brushing aside Chloe Macduff, Mia Porter and her best friend Summer Banquo, but still Coach Duncan won’t give her the position.
Courtney McManus is the Coach, with a few chips on her shoulder, but passionate for the team she looks after. McManus is also the script writer, and she’s crafted a clever mix of teenage angst, politics, sport, and teamwork, pulling in the themes and symbolism of Shakespeare, applying them to the dynamics of high school hierarchies. The show’s characters are well-defined, each with a unique characteristic to differentiate them from the others. They’re a lot less complex than the Bard’s creations, but it’s easier to work out who’s who.
The synth-pop music written by Bec Price (PROJECT BEXX) is catchy and humorous, from the opening number ‘Pick Your Player’, which introduces each person and their position on court, to the thematic ‘In Thunder, Lightning, or in Rain’ (from the Dagger Divas, this show’s version of the weird sisters). ‘Claire the Hair’ is hilarious, and ‘Captain Mac (Say My Name)’ reflects a suitably evil version of Mac Beth. The singing is strong throughout, particularly in chorus, though some inconsistency in volumes meant the solo lines weren’t always easy to hear. Choreography from Shannon Rogers (who also plays Chloe Macduff) is sharp and contemporary, with strong motifs and moves oft repeated to indicate the presence of a character or remind us of some earlier foreshadowing.
Some of Shakespeare’s lines are blended well into the otherwise contemporary dialogue, so it’s disappointing to have some of the classics delivered out of the flow of the narrative – though having the characters names on their netball shirts is most helpful. Obviously, this being high school, Mac Beth isn’t actually killing her rivals to climb to the top, though it could be argued that getting kicked off the netball term is a worse fate. There is a brilliant dramatic moment with a player’s bib of which the Bard himself would be proud, but there are some other missed opportunities to show, rather than tell the story, using Shakespearean methods and metaphors. In addition, its Hollywood ending doesn’t fit as well as the earlier meanness and tragedy aligned with its source, but offers a much more hopeful future of reconciliation.
There’s plenty of realism in the netball: warm-ups, strapped-up shoulders, nail checks and hair ribbons – there’s huge recognition from the audience (that on opening night included championship players from the Adelaide Thunderbirds), though you don’t have to be a netball-tragic to appreciate the humour: it’s more about how teams work (and don’t) rather than the specifics of the ballgame.
The show is created and presented by Crash Theatre Company, an independent company out of Boorloo in Western Australia, led by McManus and Ana Ferreira Manhoso (creative producer and also plays Mia Porter, the ‘player from State’). They’ve filled a stage with talented, triple-threat women showcasing their characters’ resilience, inventiveness, and bonds of friendship and teamwork. Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence is energetic, funny, bonding (even when three feet apart), with excellent music, choreography, and characters with which everyone can identify. West End sensation Six started out as a Fringe show; with some script-doctoring and polishing, this has the potential to be much larger than its canvas tent at Adelaide.
Review by Mark Wickett
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