Macbeth by Flabbergast Theatre

Tickets available from £20

In this classic tale of greed and guilt, Flabbergast’s Macbeth fuses a rigorous and respectful approach to text and storytelling to bring a magical, lucid interpretation of Shakespeare’s blood-soaked tragedy to life.

Playing to their strengths and background in puppetry, clown, mask, ensemble and physical theatre, Flabbergast have developed their first narrative text based production (after extensive R&D with Wilton’s Music Hall London and Grotowski Institute Poland). They present the bard’s original text accompanied by and supported with exhilarating live music to produce a provocative and enjoyably accessible show.

The beautifully performed music and vocal work combine into a powerful live soundscape creating an atmosphere that both compliments and juxtaposes the action. With a stripped back set, and an aesthetically arresting design, the tightknit ensemble of actors performs a dark and visceral manifestation of the work’s essence and underlaying themes.

Flabbergast gives us an instinctive interpretation of Shakespeare’s most wretched tragedy, working to draw out the parallels with modern society. At its heart, the dominant recurring theme and fundamental narrative that powers The Tragedy of Macbeth is the masculine fear of feminine power; and in this sense, the play is as pertinent today as it has ever been.

This timeless work examines what it meant to be a man, and what it meant to be a woman and underscores the social contracts between the two that dictate the actions of the protagonists. The notion that gender is a social construct, is never more clear than during Lady Macbeth’s “unsex me here” soliloquy, as she fights to set aside her feminine role, lest it hinder her dark ambitions. And the witches – who can appear as crones or maids – embody the power which threatened the patriarchal establishment.

A performance for both new and established theatregoers to enjoy, Flabbergast’s Shakespeare is for everyone, a visceral and eloquent retelling of Shakespeare’s imbrued tale of vicissitude.

★★★★ “Is as captivating as it is unsettling.” The Telegraph

★★★★★ “This is an exciting and vital interpretation of Macbeth which serves to invigorate one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays with a new intensity.” British Theatre Guide

The Telegraph ★★★★☆

Shakespeare’s words wrung into new shapes through raw physical movement…

as captivating as it is unsettling…

This is a Macbeth full of sound and fury, signifying something with every crooked gesture.

 

Stewart Lee – Top 9 Shows Edinburgh Fringe

Everything you want…in this brilliantly designed show the turns themselves seem to have risen up out of the clay…Shakespeare himself would surely have enjoyed [this show]

I am glad my kids saw this. It will have made them lifelong converts of real theatre… I am glad I saw it, because it reminded me of being 19 in 1987and coming here and having my mind blown…

British Theatre Guide ★★★★★

“[Flabbergast Theatre] powerfully emphasize the darkly metaphysical nature of the play… relentless action and invention. Every perfectly constructed, tightly choreographed moment in the play is explored for maximum impact and clarity of purpose…
This is an exciting and vital interpretation of Macbeth which serves to invigorate one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays with a new intensity.”

Bouquets and Brickbats ★★★★★

this raucous, visceral reimagining of the story captures the essence of the piece more eloquently than pretty much any other production I’ve seen.

The Tragedy of Macbeth ends with a heartfelt standing ovation from the crowd and it is fully deserved. Don’t miss this, it’s a wonder to behold.

Mervyn Strutter – Pick of the Fringe ★★★★★

Voice Mag ★★★★☆

“When a classic has been done again and again, it’s hard to make it unique. However, that wasn’t the case for Flabbergast Theatre. Lending physical theatre to Shakespeare works so well, and the cast of this Tragedy of Macbeth have proved that once again” “The chemistry between the cast was palpable … Flabbergast Theatre stayed loyal to a classic but approached it in a refreshing and visually beautiful way”

Mumble ★★★★☆

“Boy! have they produced a massive Macbeth. It looks beautiful, the cast create some stunning scenery using their angular bodies with a minimum of propwork, & all that drumming & Dantean wailing sounds more than amazing… This Macbeth is a stunning production… a Scorpion’s worth of theatre, with a vicious sting in its tail. A pleasure to watch.”

Susan Elkin★★★★☆

Never have I seen a Macbeth as visceral and muscular as this one… The term “physical theatre” doesn’t actually do it justice. It’s an understatement.

Lost in Theatre Land★★★★☆

A visceral, crawling, clawing, earthy interpretation… well-worth a watch

A Spy in The Stalls★★★★☆

Bestial and raw…powerful, thrilling, quite [an] extraordinary interpretation.

The Peg★★★★☆

exuberant, muscular and unnerving… an ensemble piece in the best sense

London Fringe Review★★★★☆

Truly breath-taking…This performance was outstanding…Shakespeare would have been in love with this adaptation.

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