STAGE REVIEW : A Tepid ‘Macbeth’ at Rancho Santiago

E. Scott Shaffer’s elaborate, dungeony set for Rancho Santiago College’s “Macbeth” is bookended by two friezes, both depicting tormented souls emerging from some otherworld.

The sculptures can be seen as foreshadowing for the dark magic that marks Shakespeare’s intrigue, or as symbol for the monsters that soon will reside in the murderous Macbeth’s mind after guilt begins its work.

They also seem to promise that this staging may have expansive imagination and verve, but that’s not the case. The production, featuring student actors and members of the college’s Professional Actors Conservatory, is reasonably efficient but too tepid for its own good.

As much as any of Shakespeare’s tragedies, “Macbeth” is an action-lover’s event. Witches moan their incantations in foggy night, bloody plots are made and carried out at knifepoint, ghosts of slain men appear to torture Macbeth.

In short, “Macbeth” has visual potential, and plenty of it. Beyond that, there’s the play’s psychological sway. Political manipulations abound as Lady Macbeth stirs at the caldron of her own deceptions. At the core are the subtle layers of Shakespeare’s ruminations on the taint of guilt that leads to madness as Macbeth stumbles to his end.

Given all this to work with, it’s remarkable that director Robert Golden Leigh has missed much of the play’s forcefulness.

His treatment, to be sure, does pick up a bit by first act’s end, but what has come before is almost processional. We know that Macbeth, at his lady’s urging, is planning King Duncan’s murder, but the machinations come close to being a charade of evil. Duncan’s death is startling, but for the wrong reasons.

Leigh’s staging does make good use of Betsy Ferguson as Lady Macbeth. Her portrayal seeks out the thrilled ambition and life’s energy, no matter how perverted, in the character; the fever with which she pulls the strings gives a needed vigor to the proceedings.

As Macbeth, Phillip Beck has a hard time keeping up with Ferguson. He is able to convey something of Macbeth’s weak ambivalence, but little of the near-greatness that makes his tragedy so complete.

‘MACBETH’

A Rancho Santiago College Professional Actors Conservatory production of William Shakespeare’s drama. Directed by Robert Golden Leigh. With Phillip Beck, Betsy Ferguson, Darin Heames, B. Aaron Cogan, Lou Esposito, Mark Talley, Sam Zeller, Pete Benson, John Hirsh, Rob Glover, Dan Cole, Chris Williams, Todd Terry, Noelle Harris, Max Goldberg, Geoff Osberg, Chuck O’Connor, Jim Rice, Laura Krumme, Mark Bollinger, Mark Rosenthal, Jeff King, Terrance Elton, Rudolpho Carbojal, Terri Zimbelman, Lizbeth Lucco, Dionysius Burbano, Adrienne Cooper, Kristen Scheimer, Kim Davis and Glynna Goff. Set by E. Scott Shaffer. Lighting by David C. Palmer. Costumes by Karen J. Weller. Makeup by Gary Christensen. Plays Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. at Phillips Hall, 17th and Bristol streets, Santa Ana. Tickets: $6-$10. Information: (714) 667-3163.