Casting a voodoo spell

A campfire deep in tribal Liberia. Voodoo doctors and Francophile witches dance to drum beats. The tone is set for Out Of Joint's tenth anniversary promenade production, relocated to a modern-day African civil war.

With the exception of Monica Dolan's excellent Lady Macbeth, the adult cast is entirely black and the parallels with the culture of tribal conflict are so urgent one forgives the occasional crudeness and makeshift nature of the execution.

At the centre of director Max Stafford-Clark's vision are the brutalising effects of war. Danny Sapani's Macbeth moves swiftly from conscience-ridden caution to wanton guerilla genocide. Ross has to kill Macduff's crying child in a boy-to-man initiation ceremony. Women

and children are the victims of this conflict, a point made explicit when the audience is invited into Macduff's castle to witness the 'killing fields' within.

The pace could be snappier, some of the supporting cast could articulate more clearly, the modern context sometimes feels bolted on rather than integrated. Yet the force and immediacy on show here are undeniable - a fitting anniversary statement for a company who've always responded directly to the world around them.

Until Nov 6, Arcola Theatre, 27 Arcola Street E8, Mon to Sat 8pm, £12 to £15, £8 concs. Tel: 020 7503 1646. Rail: Dalston Kingsland