EDFRINGE REVIEW: The Witches of Macbeth (Inanna's Children)

The Witches of Macbeth – ★★★½ – Intriguing

Inanna’s Children
14-22 Aug
Review by Rebecca Mahar
 
Interleaving ancient Sumerian myth and pagan ritual with the story of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Innana’s Children’s The Witches of Macbeth brings a novel approach to an old story.

Inanna refers to a Sumerian goddess (also called Ishtar) and the epic poem Descent of Inanna into the Underworld, wherein Inanna seeks to overpower its ruler, her sister Erishkigal. Passing through seven gates on her descent, Inanna must remove  a piece of her regalia each time, ultimately resulting in the loss of her life— though that’s not the end of her story. The Witches of Macbeth parallels this katabasis-like tale with the story of Macbeth and his descent into hubristic doom, with three witches narrating both Inanna’s journey and embodying every character in Macbeth’s but the Thane himself.

Eve Kagan, Maurice Parent, and Spencer Evett as the witches. Pic: Inanna's Children.

The performance begins in preshow, the three witches circling around a multi-level stone altar in the centre of the space as the audience enters, carefully arranging upon it a variety of objects they have brought with them, which will later become props. When the lights go down they drink from what looks suspiciously like plant self-watering bulbs and chant of Inanna, before one witch transforms into the Sergeant, delivering Macbeth’s opening monologue to an animal skull atop a pole, animated by the other two witches, which serves as Duncan. In short order the witches seize upon a man in the crowd, and with a sudden enchantment, pull him into their ritual to portray Macbeth.
 
The concept of The Witches of Macbeth is fascinating, though a bit off-kilter in its execution. It never quite becomes clear, for instance, if the witches are meant to be the actual witches from Macbeth, or simply a coincidental trio who have appropriated his story for their ritual— or perhaps they have invented the story entirely? It’s also not clear if they are acolytes of Inanna, and why exactly this ritual is happening in the first place. Not every narrative needs to answer all the questions it opens, but in this case there are a few too many loose threads for the overall story to weave together in an entirely satisfying way.

A scene from The Witches of Macbeth. Pic: Inanna's Children.

Some technical elements contribute to the disconnects in the production as well. The coronation of Macbeth is accompanied by music that sounds like it belongs at an American high school graduation ceremony, and the murder of Banquo by incongruous piano and violin. However, other elements such as a vat of red paint and its various applications are inventive and well used, as are certain moments of physical choreography, such as the witches’ handling of the dagger during Macbeth’s famous “is this a dagger which I see before me” speech.
 
Within this slightly unsteady framework are some excellent performances. Benjamin Evett, founder of Inanna’s Children, plays Macbeth with commitment and confusion, the unsuspecting bystander peeking through on the repeated occasions when the witches chant “Inanna asked” and Evett replies “What is this?”. The witches themselves, Eve Kagan, Maurice Parent, and Spencer Evett, whirl between their witch personas and the various characters of Macbeth seamlessly. Parent is a particular standout on the movement front, subtly and distinctly transitioning between characters. 

Eve Kagan, Maurice Parent, and Spencer Evett as the witches. Pic: Inanna's Children.

While the show could use a bit more conceptual development, it’s worth a watch for its bold approach, connections between disparate traditions, and what will likely be an introduction for many to a lesser-known mythological figure.
 
Running time: One hour and fifteen minutes with no interval
Venue: theSpace @ Venue 45 (Venue 45), 63 Jeffret Street EH1 1DH 
14-22 August 2026 (not 16)
Time: 7:40pm
Tickets: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-witches-of-macbeth