SOMETHING WICKED GOOD THIS WAY COMES

You’ve probably seen one or more productions of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth before, but you’ve likely never seen one like this Christopher V. Edwards-directed production by Actors’ Shakespeare Project. Despite the spooky-month run, the emphasis here is not on ghostly apparitions or the “weird sisters,” but on political corruption and manipulation. The company has nicknamed the production MK-Beth, a nod to the CIA’s Cold War era psychological brainwashing experiments known as MK-Ultra.

If this approach sounds daunting, not the Shakespeare you know and love, that’s all the more reason to see it. See it for Brooke Hardman‘s compelling portrayal of Lady Macbeth as a grieving mother who is vulnerable to drugging and electro-shock therapy that affect her sense of reality. See it for Omar Robinson‘s urgently rendered Macbeth, delivering familiar lines and monologues with fresh energy that characterize his transformation to a corrupt and murderous tyrant. See it for Dennis Trainor Jr.‘s Porter’s speech, delivered as a series of knock-knock jokes that evolve into an adaptation of the Seven Ages of Man monologue from As You Like It to become the seven ages of the American Experiment, beginning with the genocidal spread of smallpox and ending with MAGA fascism. See it for the terrific banquet scene featuring Banquo’s ghost (Jesse Hinson). See it for Danielle Ibrahim‘s excellent and economical scenic design of translucent curtains enhanced by Sue Rees‘s projections. See it for the elegant sound design (Mackenzie Adamick) of ominous chords that set the mood.

Finally, see it to remind yourself of the artistry of Shakespeare and of the corrupting power of chilling ambition. It’s a lesson we can’t afford to forget.

photo by Benjamin Rose Photography

Macbeth
Actors’ Shakespeare Project
Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St. in Watertown
ends on October 26, 2025
for tickets ($20-$74), call 617.933.8600 or visit Actors Shakespeare Project

for more shows, visit Theatre in Boston