By Virginia Schneider
Photos by Craig Schwartz
Pasadena, CA, (The Hollywood Times) 2/10/2025 – If you wish to see a brilliant interpretation of the infamous Scottish play, director Andi Chapman’s mesmerizing production at the intrepid A Noise Within Theatre is one to catch. Chapman has cut even more facets into this gem making the text and its players sparkle even more brilliantly.
In the opening moments Lady MacBeth, sensually re-created by Julanne Chidi Hill, quiets the audience before the lights dim as she caresses her beloved infant. The unusual sight is followed by the quiet entrance of her husband MacBeth (Kamal Bolden) who tenderly embraces his wife. Suddenly the lifeless enfant is torn away heavenwards leaving our bereaved couple to lean upon each other for support in a tender and passionate dance, trying to soothe their grief. Their swaying is magical, with voodoo drums and echoing heartbeats. Chapman wanted audiences to see the humanity of, and have compassion for Shakespeare’s most torturous couple. By showing us their despair, we understand what sparks the madness of the couple’s deeds.
The period setting in early 20h Century New Orleans is perfect both in its foreboding mystery and sense of rough magic. Beautiful, stirring music throughout composed by Dontae Winslow captures the tones of nature and the African drumbeats and chimes of another world. Winslow’s compositions are the perfect floor for Indira Tyler’s vibrant African diasporic dance choreography throughout the play, especially by the Witches who perform with brilliant layers of emotion and power.
Speaking of voodoo, mystery, and dazzling dance–how about those magnificent witches? Chapman has given the Weird Sisters (wonderful performances by Mildred Marie Langford, Joy DeMichelle and Roshni Shukla) their long overdue positions of power with plenty of time to shine and room to dance, bewitch, electrify and show who is really controlling the action in Scotland/New Orleans. Under Chapman’s direction the witches are more involved in the plot’s unfolding, giving a profound sense of mysticism, not manhood, at the helm. For example, we get to see the witches turn Banquo into a ghost, aid a fleeing Fleance and other spells and fates they predict yet are not typically allowed to conjure on stage.
The Weird lasses status in the voodoo realm of New Orleans is aided by the wigs of designer Tony Valdes and magical costumes of Wendell C. Carmichael. In the Witches first entrance Carmichael has them masked with ‘veils’ of dangling shells, so appropriate to their roots. Carmichael’s deceptively simple, dark costumes are period appropriate, have nuanced intricacies such as the witches African dresses, the Porter’s Edwardian garb and the post-Civil War Confederate Army uniforms of MacBeth’s officers.
In the title role, Kamal Bolden is present in every second, hearing the voices in his head and those of his beloved wife. We see in his eyes both ferociousness and fear. His performance is full of energy, of darkness, a scared boy fighting his demons and a fierce general on the warpath. Bolden commands with robust emotions. Julanne Chidi Hill is masterful and beautiful as Lady MacBeth. She brings sensuality, nurturing love and commanding power to every line. Hill’s Lady M. manipulates with loving and outrageous daring, transfixing everyone. Her “out, out damned spot” is terrifying and tragic as her former prowess is eroded by guilt. We feel her emotions at the back of the house and we love her, madness and all.
In addition to a Witch, Mildred Marie Langford also plays Lady MacDuff giving a particularly devasting performance when MacBeth’s henchmen enter her home to commit one of the most artistically imaginative and devastating scenes of evil in the play. (Another artful touch—Chapman’s choice to play the unnamed Messenger who warns Lady MacDuff to flee, but sadly to no avail.)
Ned Mochel also does double duty playing heroic Ross and as the fight choreographer for many flawless battles. Michael Boatman as Banquo plays lovely, multifaceted turns of ‘loyal friend’ and foreshadowing war hero, turned vengeful, otherworldly spirit. Ahkei Togun gives a delightful portrayal of the Porter–funny, irreverent and wickedly clever, he caps his “knock, knock, knock” speech with a ghostly trumpet solo beautifully staged by Chapman. Noemi Avalos is radiant as Fleance (who gets a hand from the Witches). Alex Morris, Randolph Thompson, Ben Cain and the rest of the company shine as well. It’s a testament to their command of language and specificity in character development that results in such a powerful combustion of talent and unity, each balancing the others in a cohesive whole.
Nicolas Santiago creates fantastical projections of New Orleans — courtyards, cemeteries, cavernous castles and rainy forests. Their grey tones convey the ominous mood of the play. Combined with sound designer Jeff Gardner’s foreboding crows’ calls, horse cries, the ‘shrieking owl’, moaning castle walls and other eerie echoes, the audience is surrounded by jarring sonic and visual resonances. Stephanie Kerley Schwartz’s stark scene design and Andrew Schmedake’s lighting designs are perfect in their haunting, cold, unforgiving simplicity.
Performances of Macbeth take place February 15 through March 9 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no matinee on Saturday, Feb. 15; dark Thursday, March 6).
A Noise Within is located at 3352 E Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107. Macbeth is recommended for mature audiences ages 14 and up. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (626) 356–3100 or go to www.anoisewithin.org.