Ben Brantley has been a theater critic at the New York Times for 15 years and chief theater critic for 12. He is in his 50’s and has a long list of writing credits including Elle, The New Yorker, and Vanity Fair. Brantley’s prominence as a critic is validated by his superbly written review of a new version of Macbeth. This incarnation of the Scottish Play features Patrick Stewart, best known as Captain Luc Picard from Star Trek, in the title role. The lead is a poetic interpretation of the forces at work in Macbeth’s mind. It is aesthetically pleasing, but it is also practical and sets up Brantley’s thorough analysis of Stewart’s performance. The review flows well and the transition from Stewart’s performance to an analysis of the set is smooth. The imagery that Brantley uses captures the feel and themes of the play. The “but” comes in the middle of the article where Brantley deems some of the director’s touches, “unnecessary and obstructive.” However, in a rare double “but”, he praises the fine cast in the next paragraph and the rest of the review is positive.
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