1928 Stage Adaptation of Macbeth Portraying Lady Macbeth as a Jazz Age Sensation
Not Your Grandma's Macbeth: The 1928 Twist on Shakespeare's Tragedy
In 1928, Sir Barry Jackson's production of Macbeth broke the mold by dressing the entire cast in contemporary costumes instead of the usual medieval Scottish gear. Macbeth, no longer a medieval warlord, was a British army commander in the Army List. But it was Lady Macbeth who stole the show - or rather, her short skirt did.
This modern twist introduced some unexpected consequences. Casting a flapper in the role of Lady Macbeth clashed with the character's sheer ruthlessness. Mary Merrall, the actress who played her, found it tough as hell to balance the tragic, conniving nature of this thane's wife with the frivolous look of a '20s flapper. The audience had a similar struggle, finding it hard to fathom a modern-day woman in a miniskirt suddenly preparing to commit a heinous murder.
This arrangement added a touch of humor or perplexity where none was intended. However, it also highlighted the timelessness of ambition, guilt, and the brutality of the human heart-stabbing plot. But period costumes, which typically emphasize the psychological and political stakes, took a back seat.
In the end, the contemporary costumes were a double-edged sword. While they made the play feel snazzy and contemporary, they also made Lady Macbeth less convincing as a ruthless villain and more of a fashion victim struggling against the limitations of her stylish yet inappropriate '20s ensemble.
Reference[1] Cumberland Clark, Shakespeare and Costumes, 1937, p. 239[2] HarperCollins Shakespeare, accessed 31/05/2023, http://www.shakespeare-navigator.com/characters/macbeth/lady_macbeth.html
- In the 1928 production of Macbeth, the modern twist brought a new layer of entertainment to Shakespeare's tragedy, as contemporary costumes and a flapper Lady Macbeth added a touch of humor or perplexity.
- The play's reimagining, however, raised questions about balance, as the stylish '20s ensemble of Lady Macbeth made her seem more like a fashion victim than a ruthless villain, hinting at the timeless struggle between entertainment and authentic portrayal of complex characters.
