Macbeth Muet NYC Reviews and Tickets
About the Show
Part of Soho Playhouse's Fringe Encore Series: This textless, two-actor adaptation of Shakespeare's classic draws on silent cinema and Grand Guignol traditions.
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See it if you want the best of fringe theater. Great for casual Shakespeare readers & Shakespeare snobs alike. Maybe especially for snobs.
Don't see it if you only like big budget shows; you've never read/seen Macbeth. Some familiarity w/ the play is a must. The more you know the better it is. Read more
See it if you're up for 45 minutes of an exhilarating retelling of Macbeth. It helps to have an idea of the plot, but the actors do provide clues.
Don't see it if you like your Shakespeare with big casts (Where are the witches?), costumes, scenery, dialogue. There is much blood, befitting a tragedy. Read more
See it if You enjoy Shakespeare with a twist. Smart and funny and brilliantly executed, this show is well worth it!
Don't see it if You don't know Macbeth, because it's a truncated version of the play, going in with an understanding of what is happening is important.
See it if You want some fun, good old fashioned childish fun!!
Don't see it if You're a hard core Shakespeare purist.
See it if You want non-traditional version of Macbeth inspired by silent films. You enjoy puppetry. You enjoy imaginative plays.
Don't see it if You want traditional Shakespeare. You don't like puppetry. Read more
See it if you are tired of pretentious theater and want a total refreshing view of it can be done with little resources and lots of imagination.
Don't see it if you want to "hear" Shakespeare, or if you want to see high production values.
See it if You enjoy re-imaginations of classic plays. You like puppetry/mime-inspired pieces.
Don't see it if You want a huge spectacle. You aren't familiar with Macbeth. You don't like experimental staging.
See it if you enjoy creativity. This silent Macbeth is highly imaginative & will give you new appreciation of the plot. Highly engaging; truly funny.
Don't see it if you don't know the play (just read a synopsis beforehand and GO). Both Canadian actors are strong; Clara Prevost is impossibly beautiful. Read more
Critic Reviews (7)
"There is no dialogue in this inventive and oxygenating tiny-cast retelling of 'Macbeth'...Sent me back onto the street refreshed, energized and pretty charmed as well...What’s unexpected, and impressive, is the social and emotional acuity of this variation on Shakespeare’s play...Comic or tender at one instant, brutal or woeful the next...What rescues the show from mere cleverness is its overarching vision, made vivid in a final tableau that would be a spoiler to describe."
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“One the most imaginative shows I’ve ever seen at the Fringe…A brilliant alternative presentation of Shakespeare’s play told through physical theatre and the manipulation of everyday objects...When playing the Macbeths, performers Prévost and Francoeur are as impressive as the best young classical actors…The show is filled with laughter, not at any foolishness but because of the continually amazing inventiveness of the performers in creating powerful imagery from such ordinary objects.”
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“A bloody mess, but it’s a bloody good mess…It’s a fun, wacky, smart sight to see…The shape-shifting medley of sound effects and music is wonderfully dramatic...The comprehensive sound design guides the show and gives the narrative a structure that, without spoken words, is still easy to follow…The small-but-mighty cast maintained an excellent energy throughout the performance. They had natural chemistry…A lively, liberated rendition of Shakespeare’s tragedy.”
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“An extraordinary piece of work, a showcase of intense creativity and bold, thoughtful interpretation…It features nuanced takes on the characters and breathtaking silent performances…In 50 minutes...La Fille Du Laitier communicates a far more precise and personal vision of ‘Macbeth’ than most 3-hour productions I’ve seen..The theatrical flair and remarkable insight of co-creator/director/sound designer Jon Lachlan Stewart’s production blew my mind at every turn.”
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“The promise, it seems, is that things are about to get messy—and they do, with crowd-pleasing results in this inventive comedic take on 'Macbeth'…Shakespeare by way of Looney Tunes—a wordless retelling of Shakespeare's dark story of murder and ambition…The mayhem is backed by an impeccably assembled soundtrack…It all gets quite silly—there will be blood, friends—but it's also surprisingly touching at points…Frenetic and fun and ingenious, ‘Macbeth Muet’ is killer theatre.”
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"No dialogue is spoken, but you can’t take your eyes off Montreal actors Prévost and Francoeur as they enact Shakespeare’s bloody tragedy...The actors manage to embellish Shakespeare’s text with back story...And while the props and contemporary music cues glaze the proceedings with a flavorful meringue of comedy, the performers still facilitate an icy chill of horror...This is a display of sheer theatrical invention, certainly a must-see on your fringe menu."
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“Well-crafted silliness…Don’t come expecting profound insights into The Scottish Play…This isn’t ‘Macbeth’ for Beginners…The passion between these lovers is one of the strengths of ‘Macbeth Muet.’ Another strength is the delightfully creative (and cheap) design choices that festoon the stage…More silliness than laugh out loud comedy. This is a light-hearted pastiche. Shakespeare would probably approve…If you just need some fun, go see ‘Macbeth Muet.’”
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