EDFRINGE REVIEW: Rockbeth (More the Merrier)

Rockbeth – ★★★½ – Raucous 

More the Merrier
10-15 Aug
Review by Rebecca Mahar
 
More the Merrier’s Rockbeth is a raucous reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, blending classic rock with classic drama in a revival of this ambitious production.

A scene from Rockbeth. Pic: More House School.

Composed of students from More House School and other neighbouring schools and colleges, More the Merrier is an all-neurodiverse company tackling the challenges not only of Shakespeare but adaptation and rock music with energy and commitment. Rockbeth is directed and adapted by More House’s head of drama, David Aldred, who describes it as a “modernised and musicalised” version. Musicalisation is certainly present throughout, and the characters are presented in modern dress, but the “modernisation” of the script is somewhat uneven.
 
Much of the script (albeit cut for length) is as Shakespeare wrote it, but there are bits throughout that have been altered into language that mostly isn’t any more modern, but in what seems to be an attempt at clarity and directness, robs the performers of some of the most beautiful and iconic lines in the play. For instance, Macbeth’s turmoiled “Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires,” has become “Stars, stop shining! The darkness hide my wicked desires.” This and other such instances are jarring amongst the lines that have been left alone, creating a hodgepodge of spoken styles that does not serve the production, despite the performers’ enthusiastic delivery.

A scene from Rockbeth. Pic: More House School.

The production also exhibits some blocking challenges, with actors frequently ending up in lines on the stage, making the view from either side of the thrust stage less than ideal, and much of the action is played directly to the front. On the technical front, the show is appropriately loud for its concept, but some of the performers’ microphones are painfully hot.
 
Despite these hiccups, Rockbeth is a credit to its young company, who have clearly understood their text and who face the huge demands of the songs incorporated in it with aplomb. The onstage band, an integral part of this show, is a powerhouse that more than rises to the occasion. A particular standout is the Porter scene, a comic interlude where Macbeths can be made or broken, and Rockbeth adapts it flawlessly. 
 
Rockbeth is an impressive youth production, full of the kind of enthusiasm and talent so vital to the future of theatre.
 
Running time: 55 minutes 
Venue: Grand Theatre at theSpace @ Surgeon’s Hall (Venue 53), Surgeon’s Quarter, Nicolson St EH8 9DW
10-15 August 2026 
Time: 12:00pm
Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/rockbeth

A scene from Rockbeth. Pic: More House School.


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