Comedy Review - Sh!t-faced Shakespeare: Macbeth

Images courtesy of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Equal parts unofficial DrinkWise campaign and glowing endorsement of being double-parked, Sh!t-faced Shakespeare’s production of Macbeth is a masterclass in improvisational comedy. 

The Athenaeum plays host to a more intimate crowd for the Comedy Festival, as bagpipe riddled instrumentals set the tone for The Scottish Play. A compere and self-described ‘wrangler of drunks’ takes the stage to inform the audience how much the actor has consumed prior to the show (half a bottle of gin and two apple ciders on this evening), in addition to explaining elements of audience participation and ‘rules’ that would not be out of place at a house party. 

Cymbals and confetti cannons serve as motivators for the singular drunk actor to consume even more, and a horn is kept on hand by the compere to ensure the actor does not become egregiously out of control. 

With housekeeping out of the way, so begins one hour of what is possibly the most unique rendition of Macbeth, where Banquo’s actor has been plied with alcohol before and during the play. Whilst the show largely rests on this one gimmick, every minute feels fresh and unique. The audience is laughing both at the actor and with them, as one would a friend who’s had one too many drinks. 

However, it was not solely on the shoulders of a bleary-eyed Banquo to entertain the audience. Due to the unpredictability of a drunk actor, the rest of the cast rallied around him with their sober and rehearsed iambic pentameter, as well as bitingly funny improvisation to whatever their cast mate would throw their way. Macbeth himself delivered his most famous ‘tomorrow’ soliloquy at double-speed due to the time crunch caused by Banquo’s tendency to go off-script.

This is where Sh!t-faced Shakespeare succeeds on multiple levels. For even in moments when the drunk actor is not on stage, or the jokes are not as freely-flowing, you are still seeing an incredibly talented troupe of actors perform one of the most famous tragedies. There is not a single second where the audience is not being entertained, even if it is in ways that one wouldn’t immediately expect. 

If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary to shake up your 2024 Comedy Festival experience, Sh!t-faced Shakespeare is what you’re looking for. Whether you’re a fan of the bard or not, there is a universal appeal to watching an actor attempt to improve upon a four hundred year old play with the confidence that only alcohol can provide.

Sh!t-faced Shakespeare: Macbeth is showing at the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival between the 27th of March and 21st of April. For tickets and more info, click here.