We’ll discuss the human performers anon, but let’s begin our look at Classical Theater of Harlem’s outdoor “Macbeth” with a nod to the uncredited stars: nature and New York City.  “Macbeth,” of course, is about one man’s descent into a personal hell of his own making, and the 8 o’clock starting time most nights at the Marcus Garvey Park amphitheater in Harlem is tailor-made for the story. The last bits of daylight are still evident when the performance begins, but the darker the deeds in the tale grow, the darker the evening grows as well, till by the time madness grips Macbeth, the audience is in blackness.  Coupled with that is the urban soundscape. It doesn’t matter when the ominous rumble of traffic or inevitable siren punctuates the performance; in Shakespeare’s tragedy, the intrusion always seems intentional and perfectly timed.  The noise and the night are factors whenever “Macbeth” is performed outdoors in an urban setting, but somehow they’re particularly effective enhancements here. They help this production survive some uneven stretches and a general sense of rushing through the material. This “Macbeth” comes in at 90 minutes or so; the play needs more time than that for the tension to build properly.  Ty Jones, the theater company’s artistic director and a commanding stage presence, tackles the title role. In the early going, though, he deliberately takes a back seat to Roslyn Ruff, whose fearsome portrayal of Lady Macbeth leaves no doubt about who is pulling the strings in the Macbeth family.  This is the company’s annual Uptown Shakespeare in the Park production (presented in association with the City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage festival). It’s free, and the director, Carl Cofield, has made sure to include crowd-pleasing elements. Choreographic flourishes by Elisa Monte Dance are incorporated, and four musicians provide a well-deployed, drum-heavy accompaniment. The set (by Christopher Swader and Justin Swader) is imposing and versatile, and Alan C. Edwards’s lively lighting adds spunk and intrigue. Rachel Dozier-Ezell’s costumes favor a militarism that is meant to evoke Haile Selassie’s reign in Ethiopia, though the intent of this isn’t entirely clear.  Yes, the story rushes by too quickly in some spots, but Jason Delane as Macduff makes its most heart-wrenching moment very effective. Macduff’s grief upon learning that Macbeth has had his family slaughtered is palpable, and moving. If a real-life ambulance siren happens to join in the scene, so much the better.  Category Off Off Broadway, Drama, Play, Shakespeare  Credits Written by William Shakespeare; Choreography by Tiffany Rea-Fisher; Directed by Carl Cofield  Cast Afia Abusham, Ryan Alvarado, Maria Ambrose, Clymene Baugher, Emmanuel Brown, Brandon Carter, Jason Delane, Avon Haughton, Kaden Jones, Ty Jones, Anthony Vaughn Merchant, JoVonna Parks, Andrea Patterson, Gil Polk, Roslyn Ruff, Alrick Thomas, Thomas Varvaro and Wade Watson  Closing Date July 31, 2016  This information was last updated: July 21, 2016  “Macbeth” runs through July 31 at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater, Marcus Garvey Park, 124th Street at Fifth Avenue; cthnyc.org. Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes.  A version of this review appears in print on July 25, 2016, on page C5 of the New York edition with the headline: The Night and the City Play Their Parts. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe
Outdoors at Marcus Garvey Park, a Shakespeare classic plays out in a free production enhanced by its urban surroundings.