Dunsinane

Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, Macbeth, is once more revisited in David Greig’s Dunsinane. Directed by Roxana Silbert, this co-production between the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shakespeare Company ploughs the depth of Scottish identity and reveals that our country’s roots are based on betrayal, mistrust, murder and poor weather.

Beginning shortly after the death of Macbeth, Dunsinane follows the efforts of the English army led by Siward (Jonny Phillips) and the rightful king of Scotland, Malcolm, (Brian Ferguson) as they begin the difficult task of returning Scotland to its rightful ruler. Their plans and trust in each other are put to the test when they discover that Lady Macbeth, Gruach (Siobhan Redmond) is still alive, and also has a claim to the throne. This leads to a battle of wits and endurance as they fight for control of Scotland.

The problem of writing a sequel to what is probably Shakespeare’s most famous play, is that in the wrong hands, such a task could not only be foolhardy, but also dangerous. Luckily under Greig’s careful research and writing, Dunsinane emerges as a thoughtful and engaging analysis of Scotland’s history, ongoing attitude towards the English, and our fear of women in a position of power.

With the recent local election still fresh in our psyches, the timing of Silbert’s revival of this production shows an enviable amount of foresight as a number of issues –most notably the ongoing debate on Scottish independence – remain fresh in our minds. However, the purpose of Dunsinane isn’t to provide an analysis of the question of Scottish independence, but more to reveal that the Scotland in this play, without Macbeth as king, is not a united one.

While the challenge of trying to piece together a fractured country is the overall theme of Greig’s piece, what soon emerges from this carefully crafted script is an analysis of Scotland, of Scottish culture, and – most importantly – Scottish identity. It may not be the sequel that many would envisage due to its reliance on comedy, but Greig and Silbert must be applauded for this riveting and intriguing production