This week, we have partnered with Out of Chaos to bring a bold new production of Macbeth to our stage, featuring just two award-winning actors who play over twenty roles.

The fresh interpretation explores the intersection of fate and free will, inviting audiences to witness the chilling consequences of unchecked ambition. This haunting, breakneck adaptation breathes new life into Macbeth told in just 80 high-octane minutes, while retaining the intensity and intrigue of the original cautionary tale.

The production is directed by Mike Tweddle, our Artistic Director and CEO, who co-founded Out of Chaos seventeen years ago. Before the production's run, we spoke with Mike, who told us more about what to expect from this fresh take on Shakespeare's tragedy.

Macbeth comes to our theatre from Tuesday 29 April to Thursday 1 May. What can you tell us about the show?

It’s a unique version of Macbeth, with only two actors energetically playing 20 roles! However, I believe it’s also a faithful rendition of what is – in my opinion – Shakespeare’s most dramatic play.

What can you tell us about the inception and development process of this particular production of Macbeth?

This dynamic production, created by Out of Chaos, began life while I was on attachment at Oxford Playhouse as one of their Evolve artists. 10 years later, I'm delighted to bring it home.

We wanted to find a way to tour a great Shakespeare text to theatres and audiences of all sizes, in a very portable way. Hence there are just two actors, two props and no set in this production! All of the settings and atmospheres that we create are achieved through inventive performance, lighting and sound. In my view, one of the best things about theatre is that it can happen anywhere, and we wanted to create something that embraced this.

What makes this production of Macbeth different from previous versions of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy?

A key desire for us was to really include the audience in the action. This is essential with only two performers on stage, so the actors are constantly talking to the audience and giving them a range of identities throughout the play. This, I hope, invites the audience into a deeper understanding and experience of the story.

How did you approach the challenge of having just two actors portray multiple of Shakespeare’s characters?

The actors work very hard at this sometimes! There is one scene in particular, after King Duncan has been murdered when ten characters all converge on the same scene in a flurry of panic and suspicion. Paul and Hannah, our incredible actors, train for this scene as if they’re preparing for a 10k run! Given there is no time for costume changes in this production, we use character names and other verbal signposting, as well as vocal and physical distinctions, to ensure that the audience can follow who’s being who at all times!

It looks like this production strays from the typical setting of Macbeth, what can you tell us about the design of the show?

We have worked closely with lighting designer Ashley Bale and Sound Designer/Composer Matt Eaton to create landscapes and environments for each scene, full of atmosphere and energy, using only lighting and sound on an otherwise bare stage. This has enabled us to tour the show internationally and to adapt to an enormous range of performance spaces.

Macbeth has been touring the country and has entertained thousands of young people so far, why is reaching this audience so significant?

Macbeth is a heightened exploration of the dilemmas we all face in our lives, and young people are no exception. Is it right to remain loyal to someone, even if you believe you might create a better world by betraying that loyalty? Should we follow our superstitions or beliefs, even when they lead us down a dangerous path? Should we take the time to think and consider all options, before we make a life-changing decision? Shakespeare explores such questions with great insight and power, and yet his language is inaccessible when you see it on the page. We hope to be able to improve familiarity and confidence towards Shakespeare for young people who see this piece.

What do you hope the audience will take away from this performance of Macbeth?

The brilliance of this play is that you can interpret many messages from it, depending on who you are and what you’re working through in your life. So I don’t want to second guess its message for anyone! However, I hope that audiences will take away a sense of excitement about the potential of Shakespeare’s language, and of theatre as an art form, to thrill and shed new light.