Flabbergast Theatre Presents: Macbeth

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…Shak harmonies, unforgettable melodies, and a night full of energy, this is a concert not to be missed.  Every ticket sold helps raise vital funds for St John's Hospice, supporting patients and families across North Lancashire and South Lakes.