The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth

Starred review from August 4, 2014
One sign of promise is when an idea seems so obvious that it’s a wonder it hasn’t done before. A midnight zoo production of Macbeth, by animals for animals? Of course! The role of Macbeth goes to the lion, which means that he doesn’t slay his enemies—he eats them. First to go is the king. Uh-oh—small animals are in the audience, and the action promises to be bloody. Fortunately, an elephant picks this moment to ease down the row, blocking much of the gore. “Mom, what’s all that red stuff?” asks a young monkey. “Uhhh... nothing, dear. Probably just ketchup.” (She isn’t wrong.) Lendler (An Undone Fairy Tale) provides the wordplay and one-liners, Giallongo (Broxo) the rubber-faced expressions and over-the-top silliness (when Macbeth sees a sign that he should go ahead and eat the king, it’s a neon diner sign that shouts, “Good Eats”). Like any fine comic idea, once the structure is put into place, the laughs come effortlessly. This is the Bard at his broadest. Ages 7–10. Author’s agent: Tanya McKinnon, McKinnon McIntyre. Illustrator’s agent: Bernadette Baker-Baughman, Victoria Sanders and Associates.

September 1, 2014

Gr 2-5-With its gruesome murders, Macbeth might not seem the most obvious of Shakespeare's plays to be adapted into a children's graphic novel, but by placing the play as a story within a story, Lender and Giallongo make it work. The animals of Stratford Zoo are putting on a show- specifically Macbeth-starring the lion as the play's titular hero and featuring a hyena and a cast of other animals to fill out the ranks. A sanitized version of the drama is told while the animal audience makes quips, provides commentary, and hides from the zookeeper. Naturally, a child-friendly, zoo animal-filled version of the tragic play wanders a great deal from the original. The additions and changes (such as Macbeth eating the king with copious amounts of ketchup) serve to make the tale and the entire graphic novel a comic affair that will appeal to younger readers. All of the violence is offstage and only hinted at, not depicted, in keeping with the younger audience envisioned for this book. The artwork is bright and cartoonish, with an appealing mix of panel sizes to keep the story moving, emphasize key points, and allow for amusing little details for readers to find. Perhaps the greatest missed opportunity is that only a few times do the animal thespians use lines from the original Shakespeare and these times are not marked as such. Other than that flaw, here is a delightful introduction to the Bard's work that won't overwhelm young readers.-Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 15, 2014
Ever wonder what zoo animals do at night? Why, they perform Shakespeare, of course! As the zookeeper locks the gate to the Stratford Zoo, the animals are just beginning to set up for their evening performance of Macbeth. The characters are all present and accounted for: a hungry, ketchup-loving lion Macbeth, who discovers an insatiable new taste for power; a trusting and bumbling owl Duncan; a leopard Lady Macbeth, who realizes in a fury that she has indelible spots; and a stork-who was delivered by another of his own kind, not born to a mother-as MacDuff. This innovative and intelligent reimagining hits all the notes of the Bard's famous play yet manages to put enough of a spin on it to keep it fresh and novel. (Though it makes a few age-appropriate changes, like changing a key word in Lady Macbeth's famous monologue to "dumb.") Those too young to appreciate the original play will certainly grasp this cleverly anthropomorphized, lushly envisioned graphic romp, not realizing how effectively they are being set up for the original later on. As the menagerie's nighttime performance ends and another day begins, the rest of the animals await the next play: Romeo and Juliet; let's hope that readers will be privy to that performance as well. Encore, please! (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

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October 15, 2014
Grades 3-6 At night, the animals at the Stratford Zoo go to the theater. While snacking on peanuts and carrion, the animal-family audience settles in for a production of the Scottish Play. The lion takes on the role of power-hungry, hubris-addled Macbeth, while the spotted cheetah (of course) plays his conniving wife. Their literal understanding of the term power-hungry means the copious use of ketchup is not just for prop blood, and a stork ( not born of a mother ) saves the day. All's well that ends well, and when daylight comes to the zoo, the animals are back to their usual lazy habits, except the peacock, who posts a flier about the next performance on the docket (Romeo and Juliet). An age-appropriate ending (everyone escapes Macbeth's expansive belly), along with the beautifully colorful panels and witty, entertaining tone, makes this a wonderfully accessible, engaging, and kid-friendly adaptation of the Shakespeare classic. The welcome hint at further installments in this wry and playful series means the Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue is a marquee to watch.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)