A sharp, fast-paced Macbeth that speaks directly to a new generation
This year’s production of Macbeth forms part of Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank, an educational initiative by Shakespeare’s Globe that has been running for 19 years. This latest adaptation of Macbeth is a fast-paced, 90-minute version, carefully edited to preserve the heart of the story while making it more digestible for those studying it as part of the GCSE curriculum.
The world of this Macbeth is set in a kind of heightened now and not historical Scotland, a world close enough to our own that teenagers could probably imagine themselves in it. Combat gear, bikes, backpacks. It opens with a patrol of modern-day soldiers sweeping a space, only to be interrupted by three hikers who stumble into danger and are immediately shot. It’s brutal, jarring—and those hikers? They come back as the three sisters, though here they feel more like wandering spirits than witches.
These sisters are a highlight. Dressed in clothes that look like they came straight off the high street, they cartwheel, climb, and flip across the stage like something between ghosts and parkour influencers. Their movement is sharp and unsettling, but also weirdly cool, which is exactly the point. The supernatural here isn’t mystical—it’s disruptive, impossible to ignore, and oddly familiar.
Banquo, too, feels tailored to the audience. He rides on stage with a bike helmet and a laid-back attitude, and after his death, he joins the sisters in their acrobatic world, flipping across the stage like death gave him extra agility.
The whole play runs without an interval, stripped down to the essentials. There is a sense of efficiency, maybe too much at times. A lot of text has been cut, and with that, some of the emotional and psychological complexity goes missing. The characters are played with clarity, but mostly safely.You are not likely to walk away haunted by their inner turmoil.
That said, there are plenty of fun and clever touches. One of the most memorable scenes is when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth prep for Duncan’s murder. There is an energy to it that feels more like an episode of Dexter than Shakespeare. They even whip out luminol spray to test for blood. It’s dark, but playful.
The newly written porter scene isn’t just a playful break in tone. It is a moment that acknowledges its young audience, speaking directly to them and even making a bit of fun at their world. It goes beyond simply breaking the fourth wall: it challenges, and invites them in. With sharp humour, Jo Servi takes on fast fashion and AI-generated homework, two hot topics for a generation growing up in the middle of climate anxiety and tech overload.
This isn’t the deepest Macbeth I have ever see, but that is not its goal. It is a smart gateway production, especially for first-timers or teenagers who might otherwise find Shakespeare intimidating. It doesn’t ask too much, but it might just spark curiosity. And sometimes, that’s the best kind of first impression.
Macbeth runs at the Globe Theatre until the 20th April.