The vicious, barbaric undercurrent in Shakespeare’s fear-filled tragedy erupts in Icarus Theatre’s kinetic and blood-thirsty production.
Unrivalled on the battlefield, Macbeth is rewarded with rank and favour by a grateful king but the war has left its scars. With each enemy Macbeth butchers, his lust for power takes a more menacing grip. Spectres slaughtered on the battlefield drip poison in his ear, and passions erupt as he ferociously seizes the throne. But, violence breeds violence, and a reign born in blood quickly spirals out of control as Macbeth's demons return to destroy him.
Set in the 11th century and culminating in an epic battle filled with revenge, justice, and beheadings, Icarus Theatre blends the traditional and the physical to bring to life some of literature’s most vibrant language and characters.
This production centres around the idea that Macbeth himself is suffering from PTSD. Director Max Lewendel comments, War is hell, and medieval warfare even more so. There is something in the psychology of PTSD that resonates here in a very Hitchcockian kind of way. This world is a supernatural nightmare for Macbeth and I wanted to explore the idea that the horrors of what he has done and seen lurk in every shadow, in every corner.
In addition to this new psychological element, many of the traditional male roles are here cast as female characters, stressing the importance of gender parity on stage. This is a patriarchal world, but one that is being challenged by powerful women pushing forward change.
Running time 2 hours 30 minutes (including interval)
Notes Ages 11+ (contains violence)
Box Office Tickets are available from individual theatre box offices. See http://www.icarustheatre.co.uk/shows/macbeth2018.html.
Twitter @IcarusTheatre, #IcarusMacbeth
Director Max Lewendel
Set Designer Curtis C Trout
Costume Designer Isabella Van Braeckel
Lighting Designer Stevie Carty
Sound and Music Theo Holloway
Lighting Designer Stevie Carty
Movement Director Caroline Mueller
Fight Director Ronin Traynor
Voice Coach Joel Trill
Macbeth Lawrence Stubbings
Lady Macbeth Miztli Rose Neville
Banquo James Heatlie
Macduff Rowan Winter
Malcolm Charlotte Cracknell
Donalbain Kaiden DuBois
Duncan Andrew Hislop
Actor/ASM Lindset Huebner
Actor/ASM Jay Wilson
Performance Dates
31st January – 1st February INEC – 10:30am and 2:30pm (31st January), 10:30am (1st February)
Muckross Rd, Poulnamuck, Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland
2nd February University Concert Hall – 9:30am and 1:30pm
Foundation Building, Castletroy, University of Limerick, Co. Limerick, Ireland
6th – 7th February Theatre Royal Waterford – 9:30am and 1:30pm (6th February), 10am (7th February)
The Mall, Waterford, Ireland
8th – 9th February Garage Theatre – 11am
Knockaconny, Co. Monaghan, Ireland
20th – 24th February Bord Gáis Energy Theatre – 2:30pm (20th, 22nd and 24th February), 7:30pm (20th – 24th February)
Grand Canal Quay, Grand Canal Dock, Dublín 2, Ireland
27th February Millennium Forum – 11am and 8pm
3 Newmarket Street, Londonderry BT48 6EB
1st March McNeill Theatre – 8pm
Larne Leisure Centre, Larne, BT40 1AD
5th March Mumford Theatre – 2pm and 7:30pm
Anglia Ruskin University, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT
7th – 8th March Theatre Royal – 2pm and 7:30pm (7th March), 11am (8th March)
66-68 Shakespeare St, Dumfries DG1 2JH
9th March Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre – 1pm and 7:30pm
Raby Road, Hartlepool TS24 8AH
Royal Shakespeare Company – Julius CaesarFri 24 Nov 2017–Sat 20 Jan 2018, Barbican Theatre
Press performance: Tue 12 Dec 2017, 1pm
Tickets on sale through
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Royal Shakespeare Company – Antony & CleopatraThu 30 Nov 2017–Sat 20 Jan 2018, Barbican Theatre
Press performance: Tue 12 Dec 2017, 7pm
Tickets on sale through
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Royal Shakespeare Company – Titus AndronicusThu 7 Dec 2017–Fri 19 Jan 2018, Barbican Theatre
Press performance: Thursday 14 December 2017, 7pm
Tickets on sale through
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