ONCE again, Riverside Drama Company, pulled out all the stops, and presented yet another fantastic play, 'Elsie and Norm's Macbeth', by John Christopher Wood. This took place last Thursday to Saturday, in The Devonshire Studio, Chatsworth Centre. 

With just two taking part, acting out all the characters, one could believe there were dozens in the cast (there were when Shakespeare wrote it!) 

Director, Lizzie O'Hara should be well pleased with her cast of 'a heck of a lot'!

It all started in Elsie and Norm's living room, they'd got a bit fed up with having folks round to play Trivial Pursuit, or watching The X Factor, they decided to have a bash at a bit of culture, and stage (in their living room) Macbeth! Elsie and Norm, were brilliantly played by Liz Turner and Martin Holtom. 

On the Blasted Heath, a witch (Elsie) was cackling "When would we meet again?" Well, she couldn't say "we three." But as Norm said, he thought that Shakespeare went a bit over the top, and so had 'improved' the play by rewriting the whole script!

Macbeth, went to have his fortune told, (Mac' of course played by Norm) by the witch, she cackled out that he would be King of Scotland! He dashes home to impart the news to Mrs Macbeth, who immediately starts dreaming of crowns, tiaras and wonderful gowns, well, she was going to be Queen! But then Mac' broke the news that he had to kill King Duncan first!

Now poor old Macbeth really doesn't want to do that especially when young Malcome (Duncan's son) comes to ask if he's going to kill his dad ... 

Needless to say, it doesn't bother her ladyship, and as Duncan happens to be spending the night, does the dreadful deed herself!! Afterwards, she begins to fret about what she's done, and starts walking in her sleep. 

Toy panda

She appears in her dressing gown, stroking a toy panda, then utters those famous words "Out damned spot" and chucks Spot the panda off the stage! This was so hilarious, it took the audience a while to stop laughing! 

To cut the long and gory play short, Macbeth is killed by Macduff, and Malcome is declared King of Scotland! 

This was Riverside at their best! Think even the Bard himself would've been tickled pink with what they'd done with his famous play, although he might have wondered what a couple of pandas, Postman Pat, and Sherlock Holmes were doing making an appearance! Guess that's another tale ...

By June Barker.