Theatre

Out, Damned Spot

John Underwood | Thursday 11 August, 2011 15:23

Lady Macbeth, eh? What an absolute psycho bitch; good riddance to bad Caledonian rubbish, say I. That’s about as deep as the traditional analysis of Shakespeare’s original devil woman goes, but writer and performer Emma Hutchins has rewritten the rule book with her intelligent, moving and superbly performed one-woman show Out, Damned Spot. Think of it as X-Men Origins: Lady Macbeth.

We first meet intelligent and ambitious former peasant Isobel on the day of her class divide-busting marriage to the wealthy and powerful Donal, Lord Macbeth, and in a series of monologues (which weave occasional lines borrowed from the Bard into an original and touching script) follow fifteen-odd years of her life as she gradually transforms from a blushing bride into the cold and manipulative monster we thought we knew. Well thought-out costume and hair changes combine with innovative lighting to illustrate Isobel’s journey, but they are at best ornamentation when considered alongside Out, Damned Spot’s one extraordinary performance. Hutchins has written herself one hell of a part and she does it full justice, painting Isobel as such a sympathetic figure that the audience can’t help but remain on her side as the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune gradually erode her innocence and optimism. Every bit as affecting a tragedy as the other Scottish Play, this is a phenomenal achievement.

Camden Fringe page

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