Tom Gualtieri & Heather Hill
in association with
Stage Left Studio
present

THAT PLAY: A SOLO MACBETH

Written by TOM GUALTIERI & HEATHER HILL
Directed by HEATHER HILL

Starring TOM GUALTIERI

Original Music & Sound: ERIN HILL
Lighting: ELLEN ROSENBERG

Stage Left Studio
214 West 30th Street
6th Floor
New York, NY 10001
October 28 & November 4 & 8, 2014
www.stageleftstudio.net

It’s enough of a miracle when an actor playing Macbeth in a traditional production can nail that complex character. TOM GUALTIERI not only grabs Macbeth by the throat and shakes him down to DNA level, he also portrays the delightful (heavy irony here) Lady Macbeth, the ultimate “power behind the throne”; the three witches, Macduff, Banquo and his apparition, King Duncan, and other characters adding up to a total of nineteen, and one wickedly witty narrator. All this with no props and wearing plain brown modern casual clothes.

Alternately sympathetic, heroic, evil, murderous, brave, and insane, he pauses from time to time to break that fourth wall and make light-hearted comments on what just happened. Then snap! Back into character and on with the play. It is a true miniature of Macbeth and, at the same time, a highly entertaining twist on the play.

The original music and sound, plus subtle lighting changes, enhance the atmosphere. There is audience participation at one point. Don’t worry. He just passes out note paper. No stage fright involved. But those papers drive home his point: do we all have a bit of Macbeth in us? Or a touch of Lady Macbeth? Perhaps we, too, are capable of evil. Or at least of thinking of evil. It’s but a short step from the thought to the deed. We see that in the news every day.

THAT PLAY is a compelling perspective on what is one of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies. No happy ending here. No redemption. But excellent entertainment thanks to the skills of TOM GUALTIERI and HEATHER HILL.

-Karen D’Onofrio-