08/09/2026
Review by arts editor Sarah McNeill
Macbeth
WA Ballet
His Majesty’s Theatre
Closes September 19
Even after four centuries, directors around the globe continue to dredge the depths of Shakespeare’s subtexts to inject some new insight into his writing. And the imperative question is always how does the Bard communicate with a modern-day audience?
Among the many and varied versions of Shakespeare’s 1606 tragedy Macbeth, choreographer Alice Topp has tipped the king into a modern political setting.
Replacing kings, thanes and noblemen with politicians, their factions and power-brokers is inspired. And Shakespeare’s masterful and memorable words are replaced with movement that avoids excessive pantomiming but is revealed through simple, angular, direct and defiant gestures.
On opening night Charles Dashwood and Alexa Tuzil perform as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Charles is a revelation as the polished, charismatic and ambitious politician, while Alexa’s Lady Macbeth is cool, shrewd, severe and equally ambitious. Although their pas de deux is extraordinarily physical, it lacks the sexual passion that Lady M typically uses to be so persuasive.
But it does make her downfall in the second act even more compelling as her heartless ambition is so swiftly washed away in a bathtub of her own blood.
Similarly, Macbeth’s highly physical mental breakdown is both thrilling and disturbing.
There are other refreshing moments that spin the classic, like Duncan being poisoned instead of stabbed, and Banquo and Fleance set upon in a fake bar room brawl.
The “weird sisters” or witches, devised by Shakespeare at a time when women were being burned at the stake as witches primarily for heresy, have been translated into social media influencers. In a world where we are all subjected to the online shaping of opinions, behaviours and social predictions, it is another inspired concept. But one that is railroaded by Topp’s idea that they should also be barking mad.
Polly Hilton, Asja Petrovski and Brent Carson are masterful influencers, leaping to record every movement of the A-listers, and they bravely do not hold back on their peculiar moments of intertwined and inexplicable zombie-like madness.
The dancers in this production are exceptional on every level, performing the taut, angular choreography with committed athleticism, precision and polish.
But even their skill is in danger of being eclipsed by Christopher Gordon’s sensational cinematic score – a seamless blend of live strings with recorded music that ranges from swing to rock with haunting vocals – and Jon Buswell’s brilliant set and lighting design. The towering, pressed tin walls are at once both original Australian and ancient heraldic. The sleek black boardroom table, the lavish red banqueting table, a mezzanine bathtub and a crown of smoke that slowly dissipates all add to this enduring tale of desperate power.
Alice Topp has given WA Ballet a world-class ballet for all time.
Pictured: Macbeth (Charles Dashwood) begins to doubt his sanity after the appearance of the Banquo’s ghost at the banquet.
Banquo (Jurgen Rahimi) torments his killer, Macbeth (Charles Dashwood).
Photos Sergey Pevnev.
