Dave and I saw Macbeth at CalShakes again last night. Wow. The show has gotten much sharper and clearer all around since we saw it at the last of the previews. Everything ties together better, the characters’ throughlines are all more sharply defined. The significantly trimmed script doesn’t feel quite as rushed as it did (though it still moves awfully fast) and we do have time now to see the MacB’s make the journey from awe at their good fortune to the sense that the good fortune is no less than their due, to resentment that their share of good fortune is still not large enough and willingness to murder allies and friends if it might get them a larger portion. We seemed to speed toward the murders too fast before to know who the MacB’s were before ambition took control of their souls; this time we got to see it.

The acting all around is more polished and secure, except maybe for James Carpenter who was already there in the preview; now the rest of cast is up to that level all the way through the play. Particularly powerful performances by Jud Williford as MacB, Stacy Ross as Lady MacB, and Craig Marker as MacDuff.