David Tennant’s Macbeth and the Controversial Headphone Experience

David Tennant and Cush Jumbo took center stage as Shakespeare’s infamous power couple, drawing a captivated audience that swiftly sold out the entire run at the 251-seat Donmar. However, beneath the surface of this potentially extraordinary production lurked an overarching gimmick that left some questioning its necessity.

The innovation in question? Throughout the performance, the audience is equipped with headphones, rendering the live dialogue, music, sound effects, and certain recorded lines a personal auditory experience. While technology has often enriched live theater, this particular approach proved divisive, creating a profound sense of detachment.

Eager for any technological enhancement to elevate a live theatrical experience, this innovation, unfortunately, felt akin to listening to an exceptional audio production of Macbeth while observing talented actors miming it. Intriguing, yes, but not necessarily a choice one would make willingly.

This technological divergence is regrettable, considering the emotional depth brought forth by David Tennant’s rendition of Shakespearean prowess. Tennant’s native accent injects vitality into familiar speeches, while his portrayal of a character repeatedly teetering on the edge resonates with a manic intensity. Jumbo’s Lady Macbeth, the sole Englishwoman among Scots, grapples with the haunting loss of a child, establishing a fierce intimacy with Tennant that occasionally prompts audience members to remove their headphones and savor their fervid exchanges unfiltered

The sound design aimed to provide an avenue for eavesdropping on whispered intimacies or elements residing solely in Macbeth’s psyche. However, through the medium of headphones, a whisper becomes as deafening as a shout, diminishing the impact. The constant motif of fluttering wings and raven squawks, intended to add an eerie atmosphere, became a persistent irritation.

Director Max Webster streamlined the play into a brisk 110-minute production, adorned with elegant simplicity. Modern black kilts, boots, and grey knitwear, coupled with Lady Macbeth’s striking white dress, created a visually impactful tableau where blood vividly stood out. The core action unfolded on a bare oblong dais serving as both battlefield and banqueting table, with scenes occasionally spilling into a long, glazed gallery behind, where cast members and musicians assumed the role of a judgmental chorus.

Webster’s version featured unique elements, such as a single child actor portraying the beloved sons of Banquo, Macduff, and Siward, serving as a poignant reminder of the heir lost to the Macbeths. The murders were strategically handled, with only one taking place onstage, while Banquo’s ghost remained unseen, his presence conveyed through haunting groans.

Despite its merits, the production faced peculiar glitches, as the witches were deemed “wayward” instead of “weird,” introducing a contemporary twist that sparked curiosity. Notably, Webster embraced the comic scene with the porter, a departure from the competing star-studded Macbeth production, injecting humor and audience interaction that flirted with pantomime.

In conclusion, David Tennant’s Macbeth, despite its divisive technological approach, stands as a testament to the actors’ prowess and the director’s vision. Whether the headphone innovation added a layer of intrigue or proved an unnecessary distraction remains open to interpretation, leaving audiences to ponder the delicate balance between tradition and experimentation in the realm of theatrical performances.