‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ Review: James McArdle and Saoirse Ronan in an Over-Directed and Under-Dramatized Production
David Benedict The title character of “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is unequivocal: “If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well it was done quickly.” Director Yaël Farber begs to differ. She takes one of Shakespeare’s shortest plays, which usually runs around two hours, and, adding everything from a dumb show, an onstage cellist lamenting throughout, the stage flooding with water and a very great deal of pausing, brings it in at just over three.