★★★★★
Bell Shakespeare’s new production has ruthless egos, shifting rivalries, existential dread – but no, we’re not in the wilds of Scotland, on the way to Inverness. This is Hollywood, circa 2006, where the hair may be blonder, but the contest for the throne is as fierce as ever.
Mackenzie is the brainchild of Yve Blake, brought to life by director Virginia Gay. This new production utterly reimagines Macbeth as a child star, ‘Mackenzie,’ with Lady Macbeth her ruthless stage mum. The result is a hilarious, joyful, yet still thoughtful two hours of theatre.
Yve Blake is the genius behind Fangirls, that brilliant Australian musical about boyband fandom taken to the extreme. She’s back with another teen satire, this time turning her shrewd eye on our cultural obsession with child stars.
As Mackenzie herself observes, we demand they metamorphose before our very eyes, simultaneously growing up and staying ‘true’ to themselves. An impossible ask, so no wonder we’re obsessed with the stories of the has-beens.
Blake’s script is snortingly funny, with so many one-liners whizzing past you’d need a second (or third?) viewing to catch them all. An exchange about Mackenzie’s sister had me crying, as did one about tampons, but I won’t spoil the punchlines.
The structure is tight and fast-paced, with the Macbeth source material providing the map to which the plot always eventually returns. Just when you think the show has reeled so far away from the familiar plot of the Scottish Play, it comes romping back.
This is an exceptional production all round. Director Virginia Gay and an incredibly talented cast bring this script to life. Kimberley Hodgson is compelling as Mackenzie – her caffeine-fuelled hysteria on the pink carpet was genuinely astonishing to watch and captures Macbeth’s loosening grip on reality.
She’s supported by an exceptionally strong Nikki Britton as Lady Macbeth. Her early scenes, shamelessly manipulating the thirteen-year-old Mackenzie’s stunted desire for superstardom, are just as awe-inspiring as they are terrifying.
The rest of the cast – Ryan González, Billie Palin, Anusha Thomas, and Jane Watt – play a dizzying range of roles with ease. Hats off to the crew behind the stage who make the three-second costume changes possible!
Their particular strength is their physical comedy. González’s strutting and fretting are scene-stealing, and Watt’s antics on the stairwell had the audience in stitches.
The creative team bring their A game too. From the hits of High School Musical and Hannah Montana playing as the audience takes their seats, every detail is carefully considered.
The costumes are pitch-perfect, like designer Keerthi Subramanyam took a time machine back to the Disney Channel Original wardrobe and picked up a few things for the road. And Ellie Evangelista’s choreography is deliciously OTT.
Mackenzie is something really special – a hilarious, thoughtful take on one of the most adapted plays in the English language. Kudos to Yve Blake and to Bell Shakespeare for such a fruitful collaboration.
Mackenzie is presented by Bell Shakespeare and runs to 9 August 2026 at Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne. 100 St Kilda Rd, Southbank Vic 3004.
Tickets are available here.
Website: https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/mackenzie
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/bellshakespeare/
Photo credits: Brett Boardman
Check out the Quick Guide to Mackenzie here.
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