BUDGET WOES BOTHER THE BARD.

Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer

It's been awhile since a production has worn its low-budget abilities with quite so much pride as the Blue Panthers Inc. production of Shakespeare's ``Macbeth.'' Yes, non-Equity theaters in L.A. are anything but flush. Yes, Shakespeare plays tend to be expensive to produce, so these smaller theaters often go Bard-free. We get it.

Caveats and honorable intentions notwithstanding, low funds can also translate to low quality. The fact that the Blue Panthers ``Macbeth'' also has TV and stage star Harry Lennix both as titular star and producer should count for something, right?

Not so much. Lennix, who played Aaron the Moor for Julie Taymor's ``Titus Andronicus'' and in Taymor's film adaptation, will -- one hopes -- play the ambitious Scottish warlord again. When he does, here's hoping it will be within a production that: A) can afford more than a single Weird Sister, B) offers consistently audible cast members and C) doesn't get the audience giggling at cheapie special effects that are supposed to be terrifying.

Employing a 10-person, all-black cast for no other apparent reasons than that the Bard's themes are universal (uh, OK), director Steve Marvel advances the tale of Macbeth, his Lady, Banquo and the Weird Sister with a certain dispatch if little narrative imagination.

The sword fights go on at some length (guess someone knew a fight choreographer), the Weird Sister encounters are streamlined (since you can't rightly have a single performer wondering aloud, ``When shall we three meet again?''), and the text has been judiciously trimmed to keep the action moving.

Reluctantly murdering his way to the Scottish throne, Lennix's Macbeth does everything you'd expect the man to do. Patrice Quinn as his often too-quiet Lady (forget characterization; there are times you can barely hear her) is about as predictable. Lennix's Macbeth

may be the alpha dog in this particular union, but that seems largely through default -- he's got more time on stage -- rather than behavior.

The supporting players? Even in a cast of 10, you might need a scorecard.

Between the similarity of Naila Saunders' costumes -- a kind of a modern/period hybrid, heavy on sweat-shirt-like tunics and swords -- and Marvel's doubling, it's often difficult to figure out that the person who just left the stage a few seconds ago is now back playing someone else.

``Macbeth'' may be one of Shakespeare's least-convoluted plots, but we shouldn't be at

sea trying to figure out -- often via an unhelpful program -- who's actually on stage. For this lack of clarity and other reasons, this ``Macbeth'' is decidedly not the production to introduce Shakespeare to newbies.

For the rest of us, it's not much fun either.

Evan Henerson, [phone]

[e-mail]

MACBETH - Two stars

Where: Lillian Theatre, 1076 N. Lillian Way, Hollywood.

When: 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; through Feb. 4.

Tickets: $15 to $27. [phone].

In a nutshell: Shakespeare standby suffers from budget blunders.

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TV and stage actor Harry Lennix stars with Patrice Quinn in the Blue Panthers Inc. production of Shakespeare's ``Macbeth.''