The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents: Macbeth

Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - North Yarmouth Academy, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 8, 2015

Review

If animals in a zoo were going to perform Shakespeare, this is exactly what it would look like. The lion is Macbeth, the hyena his best friend, the owl is king, and the stork is MacDuff, the hard-boiled detective and defender of the throne. With cute puns and clever nods to the original material, this retelling will delight children who will not mind reading their Shakespeare at all. The pictures are bright with just the right use of elephant to cover a bloody murder. The comments and asides from the audience evokes a sense of audience interaction that rings true to the 16th century experience. There is a teaser at the end that "Romeo and Juliet" is next and if it's as clever as this title, it will also be worth adding to a collection.

Overall Book Score: excellent