All Hail Macbeth!
The hottest show in the Mother City right now is Macbeth –
The Adult Pantomime at Gate 69. Headed
by the iconic Cathy Specific and her Trolley Dollies, Holly and Molly, the show
reimagines the wicked witches of Macbeth as fabulous foul-mouthed forces of
nature. The show’s blurb on Gate69’s
website promises the audience a unique take on these iconic Shakespearean hags: “Think you know what 3 medieval,
cave-dwelling, potion-brewing, curse-casting old hags look like? Well, you
don’t… Angelica Houston, Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker can all step
aside because we’ve drag raced the hell out of witchcraft and it’ll never be
the same again.” But, just like the
witches of the play, these bitches are hell-bent on wreaking havoc with the
lives of the gorgeous but dim-witted Macbeth and his voluptuous wife, Lady
Macbeth.
Like any good pantomime, the show is filled with
foot-tapping, sing-along songs including Disney classics such as Kiss the Girl
from The Little Mermaid and I just can’t wait to be king from The Lion King, as
well as comical references to popular culture and of course, a plethora of puns,
most of which are delightfully filthy.
On his journey to greatness, Macbeth discovers that his
sexuality is “fluid”, a moment that is accompanied by the witches singing the parody, This
Boy is a Bottom. Following Macbeth’s
revelation, there is a hilarious medley of gay anthems in which Macbeth vogues
on his bed. Lady Macbeth meets the same
fate as she does in the original play and is unceremoniously told to remove her
corpse to the wings. However, Macbeth
still has to face Macduff who was “not of a woman born” and fears the moment
that Birnam Wood reaches his castle (as per the confusing prophecies
shared by the witches). It turns out that
the very well-endowed Macduff was born of a transvestite and Birnam Wood is in
fact a reference to his monstrous member, nicknamed Burn’em Wood.
After plenty of side-splitting laughter, outrageous costumes
and an abundance of shade, the show concludes with a medley of songs which have
nothing to do with the plot but gets the audience on their feet and singing and/or dancing. The audience also gets to see a little more of the
panto’s tragic hero.
Dinner is served from 19:00 onwards and includes a mezze
platter with all kinds of tasty snacks to titillate your taste buds, a soup and
bread service (the cheesy bread rolls are the best) and a mouth-watering,
purple, tequila-infused soft serve for dessert.
While you are enjoying your meal, an 80s themed playlist, featuring
songs from inter alia Kylie, Madonna,
Rick Astley, George Michael and the Pet Shop Boys, undoubtedly puts you in a fun mood and pre-empts the entertainment to follow.
If Shakespeare is turning in his grave it is only because he
is in hysterics. I am sure the Bard
would find this camp and foul-mouthed interpretation of his classic more than fair. Do yourself a favour, and make a reservation.
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