Something wicked this way comes (Kentucky Shakespeare Festival)

Untimely Ripp’d Conceived by Diana Grisanti, Steve Moulds and Matt Wallace Text by Diana Grisanti and Steve Moulds Directed by Matt Wallace A review by Kate Barry

Entire contents are copyright © 2024 Kate Barry. All rights reserved.

Just beyond the C. Douglas Ramey amphitheater stands a rather peculiar tree. Massive in size, knotted and twisted, “the witches’ tree” is the stuff of local legend. It’s quite fitting that the tree grows so close to the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival’s home stage and headquarters. Some would even argue that the witches referred to by the tree are the same as the weird sisters who haunt the title character in Macbeth. Untimely Ripp’d at Kentucky Shakespeare Festival takes a massively deep dive into legends, the tragedy of Macbeth, and curses of history and their effect on the present.

Do not expect some kind of quirky Halloween infused re-telling of Macbeth with Untimely Ripp’d. Billed as “an immersive macabre Macbeth experience,” the “play” takes the rules of traditional theater and rips them apart. On the surface, the performance begins as a Shakespeare nerd’s dream come true. Actors in Shakespeare Festival shirts use their real names while interacting with audience members, creating a meta world. The line between reality and fantasy is blurred. By the end of the play, that line is nearly dissolved.

Mask work rules the production and upholds the overall eerie mood. Katie Blackerby’s Euphegenia is your knowledgeable and peculiar tour guide through “living dioramas.” Listen carefully to your headphones courtesy of Louisville Silent Disco and you might learn some historical facts about King James and how he influenced Macbeth. The tour begins at the helm of Alice, Ursula and Giles (played by Jennifer Reyes, Sasha Cifuentes and Crystian Wiltshire). Tips and information are provided by this rigidly chilling group of docents. Unassuming yet fascinated about all things historic and occult, Reyes, Cifuentes and Wiltshire do well to set creepy tone as the performance progresses. Without giving too much away, you will see them again but perhaps in a weirder form.

Ominous ambiance encapsulates the Kentucky Shakespeare headquarters. Something wicked this way comes indeed. As reality and fantasy collide, the warm and friendly actors are heavily effected in unimaginable ways. Jon Huffman, Zachary Burrell, Braden McCampbell and Mollie Murk provide beautifully orchestrated pantomime and delivery of the Scottish play’s most infamous bits. As our actor friends descend further into delusion, tension increases with momentum providing for a chilling conclusion.

Untimely Ripp’d follows the tradition of 2022’s production of Enter Ghost. The structure is very similar yet supernatural occurrences are the focus in this very up close and personal experience. If you enjoy the darker side of Shakespeare or unexplained myths and phenomena, this piece of theater is the answer.

Untimely Ripp’d October 5-27, 2024 Kentucky Shakespeare Festival 616 Myrtle Street Louisville, KY

kyshakespeare.com