Queensland Theatre Company in association with The Grin and Tonic Theatre Troupe presents Shakespeare’s dark and powerful tragedy, Macbeth under the direction of internationally acclaimed director, Michael Attenborough.
Macbeth is the original game of thrones – a dark epic of ambition, betrayal and murder: returning from war, famed general Macbeth is seduced by three witches who prophesy he will be king. Spurred on by his adoring and ambitious wife, , he murders the monarch and seizes the crown.
But there’s a lot more bold and bloody work that must be done for the Macbeths to cling to their claim. Plagued by guilt and paranoia, the warlord and his lady mentally unravel as their tyrannised subjects raise a rebellion against them and the country is gripped by vicious civil war.
Under the direction of Michael Attenborough, the story, set, context and characters are delivered through an exciting, incredibly experienced and visionary new lens.
“Shakespeare was undoubtedly the most extraordinary writing genius the world will probably ever see,” says Michael Attenborough.
“He was a man who understood that, above all else, human nature consists of the unity of opposites; contradictory, antithetical, paradoxical – as the Witches observe in the opening of Macbeth, Fair is foul and foul is fair.”
“The eponymous tragic heroes of arguably his finest plays wrestled with their inner demons, their capacity for love perpetually in conflict with their need to destroy in order to attain what they so badly desired. Macbeth, in possession of a gorgeously bruised and vivid imagination, goes on a roller coaster journey that takes him to the very edge of sanity.”
Written within a year of the foiled Gunpowder Plot, whose perpetrators were publicly hung, drawn and quartered for having attempted and failed to commit the greatest sin of their time, that of regicide – the play hinges on the very same sin, one that Macbeth succeeds in.
Michael Attenborough CBE was Artistic Director of the world famous Almeida Theatre in the UK from 2002-2013 and was Principal Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1990 -2002. Last year he was awarded the Commander of the British Empire, which sits alongside his Award for Excellence in International Theatre from The International Theatre Institute and Olivier Awards for Measure for Measure (three times nominated), The Knot of the Heart (twice nominated), Evening Standard Theatre Award, Measure for Measure (nominated), The Knot of the Heart (twice nominated) and more.
The cast features some of the leading names in Australian stage – Jason Klarwein as Macbeth and Veronica Neave as Lady Macbeth along with an all-star cast of Andrew Buchanan, Tim Dashwood, Eugene Gilfedder, Thomas Larkin, Tama Matheson, Steven Rooke, Kevin Spink, Lucas Stibbard and Chris Beckey.
Lauren Jackson, Ellen Bailey and Courtney Stewart are making their Queensland Theatre Company stage debuts as the famed Macbeth witches, while child actors Felix Star and Jai Bofinger will share the roles of Fleance and the son of MacDuff. Eleven of the 16 cast are playing multiple roles in what will be a very challenging, incredibly exciting season.
The dedicated set and costumes are the work of the award-winning designer, Simone Romaniuk. Months in design and development, they create a dark and very dangerous setting for the famous machinations of Macbeth to take place.
Macbeth
Playhouse – Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Southbank (Brisbane)
Season: 24 March – 13 April 2014
Bookings: 13 62 46 or online at: www.queenslandtheatre.com.au
For more information, visit: www.queenslandtheatre.com.au for details.
Image: courtesy of Queensland Theatre Company