MACBETH -- by William Shakespeare -- The Haworth Shakespeare Festival Production by The Committed Artists of Great Britain -- City Hall -- January 23-26.

A fascinatingly fresh view of the "vaulting ambition'' that can bring an entire country to its knees is given in this modern version of Shakespeare's "Macbeth''.

Set in 20th Century Africa rather than 11th Century Scotland, it re-affirms -- if any affirmation is needed -- the universal and timeless appeal of Shakespeare's genius.

The pompously titled Committed Artists of Great Britain (aren't all artist committed?) consists of a group of black and white actors drawn from the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre; this production was originally staged by director Stephen Rayne in 1990 for the Haworth Shakespeare Festival in New Jersey.

Visually stunning, with traditional African dress flourishing, as it does, alongside modern western dress, the minimalist set is beautifully lit to evoke the heat and dust of an Africa that is "fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf''.

When Shakespeare wrote `the Scottish play', Macbeth's feudal setting was regarded as an era of unbridled violence, famine and disease, when civil order was upturned and nihilism ruled as usurpers to the throne held sway.

The comparisons between the upheavals of ancient Scotland and today's Africa are sadly obvious: presidents-for-life have tended to replace the divine right of kings, corruption is rampant, as is disease and poverty. The prevailing brutality is brought startlingly alive by the soldiers who wear battle fatigues and brandish rifles as they murder and rape their way to power. The supernatural element, so much a part of life in ancient Scotland, and still a powerful force in Africa, is vividly portrayed by the three Sisters who conjure up a world of mysterious spells and potions and direfully uttered premonitions that seem to have far more validity than the traditional three witches who crouch on a blasted heath.

Verbally, this production is something of a disappointment, in that some of the main characters are at times almost inaudible. How can this be, in a theatre as small as City Hall? There is a growing suspicion, touched on, as I recall, in a recent BBC World Service discussion on the state of British drama, that in the rush to realism, technique has to some extent been thrown out of the window. This would certainly appear to be the case, judging on this production. Scarcely any of the actors are able to project their voices (a once, absolutely basic requirement), there is a conspicuous lack of poetic sense in speaking the lines which not only detracts from the beauty of the language but de-emphasises the plot's main points.

The entire play, of course, focuses on Macbeth, a genuine hero who becomes a villain, the "brave Macbeth'' who defeats an invading army at the beginning of Act I and who is referred to in almost the last line of the play as "this...butcher''.

Patrick Robinson takes on the title role of Macbeth and certainly looks the part. His reading of the part is so subdued and understated in the beginning that it is difficult to believe that unbelievable horrors are hatching in his breast; only after he has killed Duncan, his king, does he become fully involved in the drama he has unleashed. Thereafter, he builds the tension, and in spite of most of the dramatic content of his soliloquies being tossed rather casually off, he draws us into the unfolding nightmares that eventual guilt over his evil deeds have produced.

Bella Enahoro as Lady Macbeth looks alluring but is inaudible for the greater part of the play. Even at the beginning, when she should be made of steel, flaunting an ambition that certainly matches, if not surpassing that of her husband, Enahoro mutters on as if she is chattering to herself rather than performing to an audience. This makes nonsense of the later scenes when she, too, is unhinged by guilt and takes to mesmeric sleepwalking and moaning in her sleep.

Oscar James has such fine diction that it is a shame to lose him so early on in his role of the martyred King Duncan; never mind, he pops up later as the Old Man, bringing more of that rich vocal timbre we expect from Shakespearean actors.

There is comic relief in the form of the drunken Porter, wittily played by Desmond McNamara, and a fluent performance from Tony Osoba as MacDuff.

Anni Domingo brings a welcome resonance (and plenty of atmospherics) as leader of the Sisters, and Rosse, who provides so much pertinent commentary on the ever-worsening events, is authoritatively played by Andrew David Rattenbury.

This is certainly an eye-opening production of one of the world's most famous drama. It should have wide appeal and, in particular, would be of enormous value to Bermuda's secondary school children -- if only to underline the fact that Shakespeare is not a museum piece but vividly relevant still, to all of our lives.

Patricia Calnan Kae Kazim plays the part of Macbeth.