William Shakespeare: Macbeth, Abbey Theatre, Dublin (Director: Jimmy Fay)

14 years after a remarkable production starring Des McAuliffe , Macbeth is back on the Abbey stage. Unlike, then, however, little to nothing comes together in this production. The stage is bare, simplistic, a touch modern, a strange environment for the mediaeval style costumes and acting that is so conservative it borders on farcical. Little moves here, the dynamic, the vortext of destruction that makes this Shakespeare's bloodiest play, gives way to slow motion and, yes, even boredom. Words fall on barren ground, whatever action there is never gains momentum. This Macbeth is more like a scenic reading, it never gains life.

In its best moments this is uninspired and boring, in its worst ist ridiculous and bland. The most violent scenes are enacted behind a screen and lead to laughter. When the "action" shifts to England, this is announced by playing the song Jerusalem and Malcolm and Fleance having a picnic and practising cricket moves. This is the creative level Jimmy Fay brings to the play. One may have thought, there could never be such a thing as a boring Macbeth. This much Jimmy Fay has achieved.