A dazzling distillation of Shakespeare’s great thriller for two actors, Macbeth, comes to Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre next month.
Macbeth (12 to 15 October) is presented by The Faction which, ever since their critically acclaimed and award-winning production of Twelfth Night in 2012, has steadily gained a reputation for intelligent and kinetic re-imaginings of Shakespeare, staging interpretations of seven plays and one of his narrative poems.
Now, The Faction returns to Shakespeare for the first time in four years with his fast-paced tragedy Macbeth performed entirely by two actors. The play is presented from the perspective of the Macbeths themselves, beginning in the divide between battlefield and homefront, and concluding in a desperate Bonnie and Clyde showdown.
Director Mark Leipacher says: “It’s easy to find commentators framing the play as an ambitious couple who conspire to commit a murder and subsequently unravel. The Faction sees Bellona (Lady Macbeth) and Macbeth bound together by an unspeakable loss, and now they believe that life owes them something in return. For them, the assassination of the king is not so much a murder as a revenge killing. This is a raw, intimate and surprising portrayal of a famous partnership for first-time audiences and seasoned theatregoers alike.”
Bellona and Macbeth are played by Sophie Spreadbury and Scarborough-born actor/writer Christopher York, directed by The Faction’s Artistic Director Mark Leipacher.
The creative team includes set and costumes by Sophia Simensky, lighting by Zeynep Kepekli, sound by Rebekah Alero, adaptation by Mark Leipacher, dramaturgy by Gareth Jandrell, production photography by Christa Holka, with stage managers Stephanie Siraut and Freddy Sherwood. Macbeth is produced by Lisa Cagnacci, Mark Leipacher and Rachel Valentine Smith for The Faction.
Macbeth can be seen at the SJT at 6pm on Wednesday 12 October and 7.30pm on Thursday 13, Friday 14 and Saturday 15 October, with matinees at 1.30pm on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 October. Tickets, priced from £10, are available from the box office on 01723 370541 and online at www.sjt.uk.com
