Written by orange• October 7, 2025• 2:44 am• Curtis Theatre, Review, The Larking House Theatre Company, Theater, Uncategorized

The Larking House Presents: Macbeth @ The Curtis Theatre – Review

photo credit: Francis Gacad

Written by Patrick Chavis

The Larking House presents: Macbeth playing now at Curtis Theatre, October 3 – 12, 2025.

This modernized, Cold War-themed Macbeth features chilly synths, a drowning soundtrack from composer Alex Aguilar, and a spooky horror aesthetic, which fits the play like a glove. However, the dramatic and powerful storytelling seems to take a back seat.

Story:

Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s tragedies. It’s so quotable. Even if you haven’t seen it, you’re probably familiar with some aspect of this play thanks to pop culture osmosis. It’s the story of Macbeth (2025 OCR Best Young Actor Coleman Blue Summers), a Scottish general who receives a prophecy from a group of three witches named The Weird Sisters: Sidney Aaron Aptaker (2023 OCR Best Young Actress) as Witch 3, Elizabeth Hunter as Witch 1, and Lauren Velasco, who played Witch 2 in my performance.

Double, double toil and trouble

Some roles may vary if you have an understudy on the night you attend. The prophecy prophesies that one day, Macbeth will be king of Scotland, but at what cost? Insert maniacal laugh, just in time for the spooky season to boot.

Sound Design/Fight Chore:

The murky, smoky stage is cold and full of darkness. The 80s synth sound design from Jarid McCarthy and compositions from Alex Aguilar contributed to an intoxicating vibe. There were some unforgettable fight sequences from OCR nominated Fight Choreographer David Rodriguez. The actors created a violent, purposeful ballet.

Inconsistent performances and energy, especially in the first half, were the biggest drawback. Though A stronger and more consistent second half from everyone involved pushed this show to a strong finish. However, significant character relationships, which really make or break Macbeth, did not translate as strongly.

I would be remiss not to mention the clever idea to bring the story into the Cold War era, a time of uncertainty and paranoia, which pairs perfectly with this story and makes it so much more than just an aesthetic change.

Acting:

Colman Blue Summers brings a great deal of presence to the role of Macbeth. What stood out was how well he was able to portray the paranoia but also the confidence one would have when they believe they have destiny on their side—a focused and engaging performance.

The trio of Weird Sisters in this production, with their spirited movement and chanting, combined with the smoky effect used in the show, was a sight to see. Plus, that bubbling cauldron was a delight.

This is my first time witnessing Majd Khdair (Macduff) perform, but hopefully it won’t be the last. His portrayal of Macduff was full of righteous anger and fury, especially during the fight sequence.

Matthew Davies-Morris is positively regal as Malcolm, exuding confidence, which contrasts with the fearful and violent Macbeth.

Makeup designer Lizzy McCabe, with help from the Makeup running crew, Rosa Sandoval, with their ghoulish makeup in this production, are spot on.

This is a Shakespeare adaptation with a lot to offer.