Macbeth by William Shakespeare Directed by Ruth Sullivan
		May 19th - 21st and May 26th - 28th, 2011	The Tower Theatre performing at St Leonard's Church, Shoreditch

Review by Michael Skellern for "Sardines" magazine :

Macbeth is the Shakespearean equivalent of an action movie. That's an interpretation that some productions and a couple of awful movies have tried to prove to us but the production put on by the Tower Theatre Company definitively proves this. Set in St. Leonard's Church in Shoreditch, a spiritual home of Shakespeare's works, the players created many magical moments over the course of one of the Bard's most intense plays under the talented eye and assured hand of director, Ruth Sullivan.
St. Leonard's Church was a character in itself in this production, one which provoked both frustration and amazement. Conveying Shakespeare's difficult verse was made much more difficult for the actors by the acoustics, which some overcame more effectively than others. When you add this to the fact that it was virtually impossible to hear someone when they had their back to you, a frequent occurrence due to the thrust staging, the first act dragged at times.
However, that weakness became a strength in the second act as the pace picked up and the action became more visceral. The playing space doubled in size as the actors utilised the altar behind them, effectively using sheets and silhouettes in Macbeth's second encounter with the witches. The balconies above our heads suddenly became the meeting places of the various soldiers laying siege upon Macbeth's castle and the final joust between Macbeth and Macduff spanned the entire length of the church.
And now to the actors: Simon Boughey in the title role is an absolute delight. His physical presence and regal bearing are just right for the character and Boughey portrays the internal conflict of Macbeth with ease and finesse; he was at his strongest when soliloquising about his vaulting ambition. Julie Arrowsmith as Lady Macbeth takes the iconic role and makes it her own; Aqil Zahid and Laurence Ward deserve special mentions for Macduff and Banquo respectively; but the highest mention has to go to Jimmy Smallwood as Malcolm. Smallwood is focused, clear and enigmatic in the role and has a clear knack for bringing the verse to life.
Backstage, there was definitely an understanding of what elements go into creating spectacular moments. The soundscape, particularly the percussion, was evocative and interesting, and the witches' scenes were made all the more other-worldly with this element. The lighting was simple yet served the story well and the set transitions were also simple and elegant.
This play was brilliant and the players (who have now taken this production to Paris) should be commended for all of their hard work.

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Photography by Matthew Addison

Cast List Weird Sisters : Carla Evans, Annemarie Fearnley, Philippa Tatham Familiars : Liz Jardine Smith, Veronica Ley, Stella Werth King Duncan : John Irvine Malcolm : Jimmy Smallwood Seyton : Ed O'Shaughnessy Macduff : Aqil Zahid Ross : Daniel Watson Lennox : Alex Buckley Macbeth : Simon Boughey Banquo : Laurence Ward Lady Macbeth : Julie Arrowsmith Lady Macduff : Louisa Norman Sons : Murdo and Hamish McClelland Gentlewoman : Amy Dunn Old Siward : John Irvine Young Siward : Iain Handyside

Production Team Director : Ruth Sullivan Assistant Director : Richard Kirby Fight Directors : Richard Kirby & Lindsay Royan Set & Costume Design : Aaron Marsden Lighting Design : Andy Peregrine Stage Manager : Alexa Poch Assistant Stage Managers : Richard Pedersen, Michelle Roebuck, Laurence Tuerk Lighting Operator : Jane Cahill Costume Construction : Pam Wardley Costume Supervisors : Briony Cartmell, Georgie Leigh Vocal Coach : Julia Collier Percussion : Peta Barker

	Simon Boughey has been a Tower member for a little over a year, and in 2010 played Alastair in the political satire Whipping it Up and He in Hang Up, an Anthony Minghella two-hander. He grew up in Staffordshire and now lives in Islington but spent 13 years in the USA where he began acting. He trained at HB Studio in New York and The Actors Company in London. While in the USA, he toured as the Duke of Buckingham in The Three Musketeers and also played Jerry in Betrayal. Earlier this year, he could be seen naked six times a week in Seduction, at the Above The Stag Theatre in Victoria. By day, he works as a financial journalist and analyst. Simon is also a Stoke City season ticket holder.			Julie Arrowsmith first brought the house down at the age of fifteen when her prop cottage fell on her during a production of Hans, The Witch and The Gobbin. Since then, she has acted with Guide Bridge and Manchester Youth Theatres and Leeds University's Studio Theatre where she performed in The Room and Under Milk Wood, and even donned a black wig and dancing shoes to play a Puerto Rican in West Side Story. She joined the Tower in 1994. Favourite roles include Titania (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Helena (Look Back in Anger) and Frank (Men of the World). This is her first role back at the Tower following a break to retrain as a speech and language therapist.
	This is Laurence Ward's second production with the Tower - he previously appeared in the summer tour of Julius Caesar as Cassius. Laurence trained at City Lit and has recently appeared in a number of productions including Seven Colours and Cradle and Fall, both of which were devised and created by Fold Up Theatre, a company in which he is a founding member. Other credits include The Fold Up Sketch Show, The Canterbury Tales, Blood Wedding and The Libertine.			Ed O'Shaughnessy has been with the Tower since late 2009; Macbeth will be his sixth show. Most recently he has played Cyprian in Princess Ivona and a myriad of characters in Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll. Having also been in Julius Caesar last year, at this rate Ed has excitedly calculated he could have been in all 37 Shakespeare plays by 2046.
	Annemarie Fearnley has been a member of the Tower for a quarter of a century, but this is her first Shakespeare/Paris tour with the company! Her last forays into Shakespeare were as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Nerissa in The Merchant of Venice with the City Lit Shakespeare Theatre in the 80s. With the Tower, roles have been as diverse as a tap-dancing skeleton in panto, Dick Whittington, Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera and Eugenie in Vincent in Brixton. Minack shows includeThe Little Shop of Horrors, Mr Cinders, Nicholas Nickleby and Lark Rise. She has been in All Star Productions' Assassins and Side by Side by Sondheim at Hoxton Hall. She was also a singer with the bands 'Simply Vocal' and 'The Checkmates'.			Carla Evans is a new member at the Tower, having joined in February 2011. She played Becky Sharp in the Tower's rehearsed reading of Vanity Fair in March and Macbeth will be her first full production. In the past, Carla has appeared in productions at the Bromley Little Theatre and Beckenham Theatre Centre and has taken various acting courses at the City Literary Institute.
	Philippa Tatham started her London acting career dressed as an Elizabethan whore on the Southwark streets. Since then, her credits have included Autolycus (The Winter's Tale), Mistress Overdone (Measure for Measure), Dormouse/ Tweedledum (Curiouser and Curiouser) and Sebastian (Twelfth Night). In 2010 she directed her own show The Adventures of Sydney and Arabella, The Exiled Urban Foxes at the Camden Fringe. She has also staged plays at The King's Head, Tabard, New End, Baron's Court and Rose Theatres as well as with London Irish Theatre. She will appear as Beatrice in Rooftop Theatre's Much Ado About Nothing in St Albans this July.			John Irvine John has played a number of roles including Sir Charles Gill in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde (SEDOS) and General Strammfest in The Bolshevik Empress. He has performed with the Bubble & Squeak Collective and has taken part in rehearsed readings of new works by Mark Normandy, Greg Lofton and Paul McNeilly. Last summer he played The Preacher and The Spin Doctor in You Me Bum Bum Train (the Barbican's fastest selling show in 2010) and his next role is in Breaking the Code with South London Theatre. Macbeth is John's third production with the Tower Theatre - he was previously seen in Princess macbeth and The Trial. He has also had small parts in short films involving zombies (Houseparty of the Dead 6), brain dead office workers (Short Story), and werewolves (The Ritual).
	Jimmy Smallwood joined the Tower 18 months ago and this is his third production. He last appeared in Lark Rise as a cheerful scything harvester and a young soldier. The show played at the Minack Theatre on the 2010 Tower Cornwall tour. Other productions include Whipping It Up (Tower Theatre), Teechers (Theatre West 4), The Pillowman and Betrayal (both Leeds Theatre Group). In real life Jimmy is a journalist living in West London who enjoys cricket in the summer and real ale all year round.			Daniel Watson's previous Shakespeare roles include Malvolio in Twelfth Night and Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream. He has acted in several productions with the Tower Theatre Company. He played Oliver in As You Like It and has had roles in Pygmalion, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, An Enemy of the People, Tonight at 8.30, Lady Windermere's Fan, Dancing at Lughnasa, Rutherford and Son, Fallen Angels, Relative Values, Hard Times, Sail Away, Habeus Corpus, Lock Up Your Daughters and The Homecoming.
	Aqil Zahid trained at the City Lit. He recently appeared as Petruchio at The Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations in Stratford-upon-Avon. Other recent theatre credits include four-week runs of The Cherry Orchard at the White Bear Theatre and as Sade in Marat/Sade at The Courtyard Theatre. He has appeared at the Camden Fringe Festival as Aegistheus in The Flies and in Blonde Compassion: A Yoga Comedy. He received a special mention as Ruckley in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Recent film credits include Replica. This is his second year and second production with the Tower Theatre, having witnessed the demise of Caesar in 2010.			This is Iain Handyside's first production with the Tower Theatre having joined the company in November 2010. He lives in Elephant and Castle and trained at the Actors Centre in Central London having previously studied Modern History at the University of St Andrews. Past roles include Ko-Ko in The Mikado and a Nazi Youth in Cabaret. He works as an Assistant Artist Manager for a music agency.
	This is Liz Jardine Smith's first production with the Tower. She has previously appeared as Vickey in Hobson's Choice and Linda in Ladies' Day at the Questors, and will be returning to the role of Linda in the autumn in the sequel Ladies Down Under. Playing a fairly gender non-specific Familiar and Fleance in Macbeth, therefore, makes a welcome change from corsets, bustles and feather boas, plus she gets to make a lot of noise with an enormous drum.			Veronica Ley (Ronnie) lives in North London with her parents and older sister. This is her first role at the Tower Theatre after previously appearing in productions of the musicals Annie, Blitz and Annie Get Your Gun with the North London Theatre Company. When not on stage she enjoys coaching and competing in athletics. Ronnie is a member of the Enfield Youth Parliament and is part of the Ley family 'dynasty' who have been actively involved in the Tower since the late Colin Ley's directorial debut in 1962. She follows in the steps of her father Peter Ley and uncles Stephen and Phillip Ley who all also appeared in Tower Productions of Macbeth!
	This is Murdo McClelland's first production with the Tower Theatre Company, or indeed anywhere, although he was critically acclaimed for his portrayal of the 11th Doctor in his primary school leaving assembly. He lives in Bromley with his brother Hamish and reluctant stage mother, having recently moved to London from Glasgow. His favourite actor is Michael Cera and his favourite play is Hamlet, 'because it's a dark story about murder and betrayal and it has a good twisty ending'. His interests outside theatre include video games, manga art and free running.			This is Hamish McClelland's first production with the Tower, having previously played a donkey in the school nativity. He lives in Bromley with his brother Murdo and his mum. His favourite actors are Elisabeth Sladen & Tom Baker. His favourite play is Twelfth Night, because 'it's a very nice story and it was the first play by Shakespeare that I read.' When he leaves school, he wants to be a zoologist or drama teacher. Or both (!). He enjoys cooking, would happily eat only chicken curry for the rest of his life and is a big fan of Doctor Who and David Attenborough.
	Louisa Norman joined the Tower Theatre in 2007 and has since appeared in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The York Realist, Blood Wedding and Lark Rise, touring to Minack in summer 2010. She will shortly be appearing as Julie in Jake's Women. She is also a member of the Questors where she recently took part in the Open Stages RSC workshop. She has a BA in Drama from the University of Wales and was also a member of The Questors student group from 2007-9. In her spare time Louisa enjoys travelling, playing the saxophone and reviewing London theatre for Offwestend.com.			Alex Buckley
	Amy Dunn			Stella Werth