Brendan Lambert, an acting major at Hardin-Simmons University and Shakespeare enthusiast, will portray the honest nobleman who turns into the murder-driven madman, Macbeth, in the Hardin-Simmons theater production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Lambert and a group of fellow actors will perform Macbeth Nov. 14-17 at Van Ellis Theatre.
A junior, Lambert has been acting with the Hardin-Simmons Department of Theatre for two years, but this will be his first time in a leading role. He said that he is excited to bring this style of play to life. During his years at the theater, Lambert has acted in the school’s 24-hour Shakespeare production, but he has never seen or acted in a complete rendition of a Shakespearian play.
“I am just excited because this is exactly the kind of character I have wanted to play,” said Lambert.
Like many of the actors in Macbeth, Brendan took Hardin-Simmons’ class on Shakespeare, where he learned not only about the history of Shakespeare’s plays but also their meaning. In the class, Dr. Victoria Spangler encourages students to explore the language and create an image with their acting.
“Lambert has an ability where you might not know what he is saying, but you’re with him.” Stage manager and assistant director for Macbeth, MacKenzie Corum said, “Such a captivating stage presence”.
Lambert shares how important the presentation of Shakespeare is in hooking an audience's attention. The way Shakespeare is written can make it challenging for some to understand. Lambert said that he focuses on the words people know as a way to draw the audience in and keep them engaged.
“Even if I am speaking gobbly-gook, you can understand if I am angry or sad or worried to a degree,” Lambert said.
This telling of Shakespeare’s famous Macbeth will combine some of the acts into a one-and-a-half-hour show with no intermission, making it shorter and possibly more accessible while still maintaining the classic story. The stage will be expanded so the audience can feel the intensity and drama up close. Ropes will also be hung up around the stage and cut with each murder, offering a unique take on death and fate.
“We want our audience absorbed. They are in the story with us,” technical director, Trey Spivey said.
Doors for the show open at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14-16 and 2 p.m., Nov. 17. Hardin-Simmons University Students and Faculty enter for free. Admissions for Hardin-Simmons University alumni, senior citizens 60 and older, military, and non-Hardin-Simmons University students is $5. General Admission is $5.
“That is one reason we keep it so affordable here because we want people to be exposed to theater,” Spivey said.
This is the first year since COVID-19 that Hardin-Simmons University Theater has produced a Shakespearian play, so actors and set designers are putting maximum effort into this show to make it special. Unlike their previous shows, the funds for this play are not going towards buying the rights, so more of the proceeds may go into creating a higher-quality show.
“It’s just a good opportunity for citizens of Abilene to come to see a Shakespearian play, especially the famous classic tragedy, the one we can’t even say,” MacKenzie said.
Van Ellis Theatre seats exactly 212 people. On Nov. 15, Hardin-Simmons Theater hopes to fill the theater with high school students from around Abilene to come and watch MacBeth. This viewing will be unique because Dr. Spangler and the actors will meet with the students before and after to give them some history of Shakespeare and tips on acting.
“I am excited,” Director Dr. Spangler said, “It’s a big undertaking, but it will be good.”
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