Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ)
Brett Boardman When Bell Shakespeare’s Mackenzie begins, it is with the clap of thunder and flash of lightning you might expect from any adaptation of Macbeth. And yet, what follows is no ordinary production of the much beloved Scottish play.
The 2026 premiere of Mackenzie, written by Yve Blake and directed by Virginia Gay, keeps the outlines of Shakespeare’s play and transports it to a Y2K fever dream of child stardom, pink sparkles and stage mums.
But make no mistake, divas: the glitter doth not hide the dark intentions and wicked behaviours of these characters. All the foulness and fairness of the original Theatre company Bell Shakespeare isn’t known for its adaptations.
Typically running only three main performances per year, it’s a big deal for a writer other than Shakespeare himself to get a feature. The most recent example was Laura Murphy’s The Lovers in 2022: a campy adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream made for Gen Z.
Mackenzie feels like a resurgence of this approach to Shakespeare’s classics. The original plot of Shakespeare’s play follows the Scottish general Macbeth, who is told by three witches that he will become king of Scotland.
Spoiler alert: the path to kingship is not as simple as it sounds. Consumed by ambition and urged on by his unrelenting wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and seizes the throne, becoming a tyrannical ruler who kills to eliminate his threats.
Blake translates what is likely a recognisable plot for anyone who studied English in high school onto the stage of a children’s TV show. Daggers become acid-filled bottles of makeup remover, tunics turn to Juicy tracksuits — and the whole thing is backed by musical numbers.
It might seem difficult to imagine the emotional scope of Macbeth transposed into this world of sparkly microphones and heart-shaped mirrors. Thankfully, the cast of the premiere produced such emotional depth in their performances that the core of the tragedy held.
Macbeth becomes Mackenzie (Kimberley Hodgson), an up-and-coming child star. Her stardom is propelled aggressively forward by her own Lady Macbeth: her mother (Nikki Britton).
Where Macbeth is due to conquer villages and the country, Mackenzie’s goals are arguably more ambitious: to become the world’s number one pop star (and finally get rid of her “fugly bowl cut”).
A dazzling cast Hodgson and Britton are the undeniable drivers of both the comedy and tragedy blended into this adaptation. Hodgson is masterful as Mackenzie, as she sings her way from a bowl-cut-laden preteen to a burgeoning young-adult pop star.
The work of costume designers Keerthi Subramanyam and Sara Kolijn play no small part in making this on-stage growth possible, as her character shifts from frumpy maxi skirts to leather body suits. And what is Macbeth without his Lady – or, in this case, her mother?
Britton as Ruth is an absolute standout in her range, achieving both the merciless ambition of a stage mum and the tragic breakdown of a guilt-ridden murderess. While the script is devoid of Lady Macbeth’s iconic language from the original play, Britton shines with the drama, flair and expression that you’d expect from the role.
Ryan González as Beau (their take on Macbeth’s BFF Banquo) gives us an earnest boy star reminiscent of Disney Channel’s Mitchel Musso circa-2006. Or, in his words, an “ethnic Zac Efron”. Anusha Thomas is deeply endearing as both Dahlia (King Duncan) and Mackenzie’s personal assistant, both of whom deserve better than Mackenzie’s ambition is willing to afford them.
Jane Watt carries the comedy of the backing cast effortlessly, playing multiple roles. Her standout performance is as Pickles, the solo version of Macbeth’s three witches. She blends sinister prophesying with the camp, comic horror rightfully induced from doing the hair of child stars.
And rounding out the cast is Billie Palin as Gayle: Macduff reimagined as an overalls-wearing butch lesbian who runs a staff exclusively comprised of “lesbian, immigrant, single mothers”, with quippy one liners about the role of queer women in the labour force.
The only criticism one could give Palin is that she isn’t on stage enough. Whether you’re coming in as a die-hard Shakespeare fan, or with a nostalgic longing for low-rise trackpants, Mackenzie has something to love.
It is resounding proof of both the endurance of Shakespeare’s work, and the unending talent within Australian theatre.
Bell Shakespeare’s Mackenzie is showing at The Neilson Nutshell in Sydney until July 18, and at Arts Centre Melbourne from July 23 to August 9.
MacKenzie McCowan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/06/15/what-if-macbeth-was-a-13-year-old-child-star-shakespeare-meets-stage-mums-and-sparkles-in-riotous-adaptation/