Void of elaborate design luxuries such as, stunning visuals and expensive backdrops, the Holly Theater in Downtown Dahlonega has its own charm. Rather than a performance stage, the theater intriguingly resembles a small movie theater. Contrasting the uptight atmosphere often present at the Fox Theater in Atlanta or on Broadway in New York, the quaint local aspects make the Holly inviting and relaxed. These attributes made my overall experience at the Holly enjoyable.
While impatiently waiting amongst the audience for Macbeth to start, I began reading the program. I had never seen a Shakespearean play until the night of October 11th and it definitely met my expectations. I didn’t have any grand or over the top preconceived ideas about the play. The theater is small and locally managed, so intricate detailed set designs and costumes don’t come cheaply. Shakespeare’s plays are also full of soliloquy and dialogue rather than action, making the play more about the plot rather than the backdrop. True to these expectations, Macbeth, a story of the Scottish King, was slightly unfamiliar but the program’s short summary provided me with all I needed.
The cast did an excellent job delivering their lines, and projecting the character’s emotions in the setting they were given. I can’t remember a single slip in dialogue, and their facial expressions were a good mix of subtle and hyperbolic. Shawn Jacoby took on the role of an insane and misguided Macbeth with embellished enthusiasm, making the play more entertaining to watch. Although, the setting could have used a few more artistic elements for a fuller sense of location and imagery. The stage direction made up some for the lack of background scenery, and kept the audience on edge, wondering who was going to come out of which door next. The music, haunting, mysterious, and reflecting Macbeth’s unpredictability through intense violin rifts and deep chanting, also added an eerie touch.
Dr. Brian Corrigan, the director of the play, English professor at UNG, and Shakespearean expert, delivered a large scale play in a small town, and in my opinion he did so very well. Shakespeare is known as an extravagant and detailed writer, so audiences expect his stage adaptations to play out in this manner (no pun intended). But this production doesn’t need a high class presence to beautifully tell the story of Macbeth; after all “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
The play will be running the weekends of October 24-26th & 31st, as well November 1st and 2nd. I recommend everyone come support the amazing and dedicated cast and crew of this production. They surely will not disappoint!