‘We love women in sports [themed musicals]!’
Despite never voluntarily participating in a game of netball, Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence could convince me to tape over my earrings, cut some orange wedges, and pull on a bib.
Combining the all-too-familiar social pressures of Year 11, unchecked ambition, synth-pop, netball, and the Bard, the Dunsinane Hell-Hounds take you on a 60 minute ride of your life.
The overwhelming feeling during and after the show is that you have just experienced glory in all aspects – script, music, performance, choreography, and production. All this attributed to an all female/non-binary cast and crew from our humble West Australian shores – to quote Hell-Hounds’ Coach Duncan ’its enough to make you climax’. Taking into consideration the show was performed on International Women’s Day its probably enough to get you there.
The Shakespearean themes and quotes are cleverly woven into the narrative to provide a delightful twist and sophisticated nuance to an otherwise relatively low-stakes complication being Lady Macbeth (or Mac Beth) vying for the captaincy of her beloved school netball team to ensure her rightful place on the hallowed ~~State Team~~ (cue awe). The portrayal of her relentless ambition and cunning strategies on and off the court are entertaining and thought-provoking.
The synth-pop musical routines are another highlight of the show. The pulsating beats and melodies perfectly complement the high-energy performance. The cast’s vocal performances, harmonies and choreography are polished and well-rehearsed which adds another layer to the multi-faceted performance. Together, this captures the audience’s attention and keeps you hooked throughout. Word on the street is that the songs will be launched on Spotify soon – I know I’ll be adding all tracks to my ‘walk to work like a bad b*tch’ playlist.
The show is truly a celebration of female/non-binary talent. The catchy compositions are created by DJ and music producer Project BEXX (Bec Price) who also directs the show. The clever lyrics are the result of Price, Courtney McManus (who plays Coach Duncan and wrote the show) and Ana Ferreira Manhoso (who plays centre Mia Porter and produced the show). Full credit to the team.
Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence played at the Rechabite on 8th of March for one night only