When Bell Shakespeare’s Mackenzie starts, it’s with the clap of thunder and flash of lightning you may be expecting from any adaptation of Macbeth. And but, what follows isn’t any peculiar manufacturing of the a lot liked Scottish play.
The 2026 premiere of Mackenzie, written by way of Yve Blake and directed by way of Virginia Homosexual, assists in keeping the outlines of Shakespeare’s play and transports it to a Y2K fever dream of kid stardom, red glints and degree mums.
However make no mistake, divas: the glitter doth now not disguise the darkish intentions and depraved behaviours of those characters.
The forged of Mackenzie, from left to proper (clockwise): Anusha Thomas, Ryan González, Nikki Britton (hidden), Jane Watt, Billie Palin and Kimberley Hodgson (centre).
Brett Boardman
All of the foulness and equity of the unique
Theatre corporate Bell Shakespeare isn’t identified for its diversifications. Generally operating best 3 major performances in line with yr, it’s a large deal for a creator rather than Shakespeare himself to get a characteristic.
The newest instance was once Laura Murphy’s The Fanatics in 2022: a campy adaptation of A Midsummer Evening’s Dream made for Gen Z. Mackenzie looks like a resurgence of this solution to Shakespeare’s classics.
The unique plot of Shakespeare’s play follows the Scottish common Macbeth, who’s advised by way of 3 witches that he’s going to turn out to be king of Scotland. Spoiler alert: the trail to kingship isn’t so simple as it sounds.
Ate up by way of ambition and suggested on by way of his unrelenting spouse, Macbeth murders King Duncan and seizes the throne, changing into a tyrannical ruler who kills to get rid of his threats.
Blake interprets what’s most likely a recognisable plot for any person who studied English in highschool onto the degree of a youngsters’s TV display. Daggers turn out to be acid-filled bottles of make-up remover, tunics flip to Juicy tracksuits — and the entire thing is sponsored by way of musical numbers.
Mackenzie brings all of the enduring subject matters of Macbeth into the Y2K technology of degree mums and kid stars.
Brett Boardman
It would appear tough to consider the emotional scope of Macbeth transposed into this global of sparkly microphones and heart-shaped mirrors. Fortunately, the forged of the premiere produced such emotional intensity of their performances that the core of the tragedy held.
Macbeth turns into Mackenzie (Kimberley Hodgson), an up-and-coming kid celebrity. Her stardom is propelled aggressively ahead by way of her personal Woman Macbeth: her mom (Nikki Britton).
The place Macbeth is because of triumph over villages and the rustic, Mackenzie’s objectives are arguably extra formidable: to turn out to be the sector’s primary pop celebrity (and after all do away with her “fugly bowl cut”).
A stunning solid
Hodgson and Britton are the simple drivers of each the comedy and tragedy mixed into this adaptation.
Hodgson is masterful as Mackenzie, as she sings her method from a bowl-cut-laden preteen to a burgeoning young-adult pop celebrity. The paintings of dress designers Keerthi Subramanyam and Sara Kolijn play no small section in making this on-stage expansion conceivable, as her persona shifts from frumpy maxi skirts to leather-based frame fits.
And what’s Macbeth with out his Woman – or, on this case, her mom? Britton as Ruth is an absolute standout in her vary, reaching each the cruel ambition of a degree mum and the tragic breakdown of a guilt-ridden murderess.
Whilst the script is devoid of Woman Macbeth’s iconic language from the unique play, Britton shines with the drama, aptitude and expression that you just’d be expecting from the position.
Nikki Britton shines with the drama and aptitude you’d be expecting from Woman Macbeth.
Brett Boardman
Ryan González as Beau (their tackle Macbeth’s BFF Banquo) provides us an earnest boy celebrity paying homage to Disney Channel’s Mitchel Musso circa-2006. Or, in his phrases, an “ethnic Zac Efron”.
Anusha Thomas is deeply endearing as each Dahlia (King Duncan) and Mackenzie’s non-public assistant, either one of whom deserve higher than Mackenzie’s ambition is keen to manage to pay for them.
Jane Watt carries the comedy of the backing solid without difficulty, taking part in more than one roles. Her standout efficiency is as Pickles, the solo model of Macbeth’s 3 witches. She blends sinister prophesying with the camp, comedian horror rightfully brought on from doing the hair of kid stars.
And rounding out the forged is Billie Palin as Gayle: Macduff reimagined as an overalls-wearing butch lesbian who runs a team of workers solely made out of “lesbian, immigrant, single mothers”, with quippy one liners in regards to the position of queer ladies within the labour drive. The one complaint one may give Palin is that she isn’t on degree sufficient.
Whether or not you’re coming in as a die-hard Shakespeare fan, or with a nostalgic eager for low-rise trackpants, Mackenzie has one thing to like.
It’s resounding evidence of each the staying power of Shakespeare’s paintings, and the never-ending skill inside of Australian theatre.
Bell Shakespeare’s Mackenzie is appearing at The Neilson Nutshell in Sydney till July 18, and at Arts Centre Melbourne from July 23 to August 9.
