If only the Big Idea were bigger as Hugo Weaving takes on the Scottish play.

Sydney Theatre

July 26, 2014

This production of “the Scottish play” is one of Sydney Theatre Company’s hot-ticket, much-anticipated shows of 2014, largely because in the title role is Hugo Weaving, renowned stage actor and international movie star. Consequently, it was close to sold out before opening night, although that’s partly because director Kip Williams had the Bright Idea of turning the theatre back to front – seating the audience on stage and placing the action in the auditorium. In practical terms, it instantly cut seating capacity by about two-thirds, which seems perverse. Perverse too for the audience as the temporary bleachers are amazingly uncomfortable. If a patron doesn’t suffer a DVT some time during the season it will be a miracle.

Discomfort sets in much earlier than circulation loss, however. In the opening sequence the Weird Sisters take it in turn to thrust their faces into a washing up bowl of water and blow bubbles. Then the trio – Robert Menzies, in fine melodramatic, high declamatory form, with Kate Box and Ivan Donato – recite their fabled incantation, while dripping water and sounding theatrically...