Macbeth – Biography of a killer – 2013

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Macbeth – Biography of a killer

Abridged from Shakespeare and Directed by Laura Pasetti

Set in a modern day war bunker, the final hours of General Macbeth are shared with us through an interview with a reporter. A cast of four, working with a condensed script, create a pace and tension which holds the viewer throughout.
At times disturbing, and at others poignant and passionate, this rendering of Shakespeare’s classic allows the audience insights into the minds of the central key players. The simple but versatile staging allows for some stunning images.

Team

Cast:
Steven McIntyre
Jamie Walker
Julia Dixon-Phillip
Matteo de Mojana

Assistant Director:
Valentina Albertario

Costume designer:
Ginevra Danielli

Light Designer:
Manuel Frenda

Technical Manager:
Malcolm Rogan

Witches Voices:
Dawn Jones

Walkie-Talkie Voice:
Douglas Nixon

DIRECTOR’S POINT OF VIEW

When I first decided to stage a production of Macbeth I was primarily intrigued by two factors. The first was the supernatural, which was so present in the story and had an important influence on the chain of events which unfold. Witches, Ecate, the devil, rituals and bloody ghosts; I wanted to explore how these could be represented in a modern setting. What are the witches? I was challenged by this question… nowadays what do they mean? Why does Macbeth believe in them so easily?
The second factor was that even though the characters were realistic in their reactions, the play was full of metaphors. None of the murders were fully represented and this meant there was a lot of space let for the imagination.
I decided the best environment to set the piece in was a bunker, an inner space of the mind where we meet our ghosts and face our fears. With the introduction of the Journalist, a character not from the original piece, I wanted to create the illusion or the possible answer that Macbeth replaying his actions from the start was a cathartic experience for the character. A place where his soul can search for the answer that his mind could not retrieve.
Maybe it is not real, maybe the journalist is part of his consciousness, maybe Lady M and Banquo are projections of his mind and life “it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
I must say that I had a great group of artists to work with, everyone offered their talent and skills with generosity and total trust. It was a privilege to work with this group.

Comments from the audience

Italian audience:

– A really interesting adaptation, a wise use of lighting and props. Really worth it!
– Great ideas for a modern, well-paced version of a well-known story, with surprising moments
– It was a clear and entertaining look into the tragic downfall caused by ambition
– I’ve learnt more in a one-hour show than in a one-year course!
– A dark, intense, well-acted rendering of the Play
– Excellent; perfect realization and synchronism
– Such an intense performance, with currently relevant themes and incredible actors!
– Original and interesting performance. The spirit of the play has fully come out.
– Original, it appeals to young people
– Great interpretation of the Classic. Really liked lighting and staging
– Very good performance. Excellent use of sound, music and lighting. Great costume design. Overall great!
– A good bet, that you won as for textual exactness and for the excellent “theatricalism” of the performance
– VERY WELL DONE! A great performance which synthesizes Macbeth and made it very fun
– Very interesting ideas, “ingenious”, to modernize Shakespeare
– Very interesting and engaging. The original parts were a little bit complex but compensated for by the Italian and modern English explanations
– Excellent
– challenging but involving
– I underline the lighting use, interesting because it helps to characterize and depict the characters
– Expressive and intense
– Very nice, interesting construction of the narrative
– Great acting, very striking
– Very nice, well acted, engaging. My son says ‘Cool!’
– Thrilling. Effecting lighting and sound effects. 
– I’ve really appreciated the existence of a theatrical group which is bilingual and multicultural: this is the future!
– In a nutshell: the ambiguous charm of power, the immortality of Shakespeare’s theatre.
– Very interesting the frame created by the journalist and his observations
– Effective because of the present setting

Scottish audience:

– Bold and expressive actors, terrific visual direction especially involving torches. Well condensed and staged
– Great ideas, visuals and physicality. A real exploration of the play and Macbeth the character
– Excellent production, superb acting
– Good use of small cast. I liked the framing device of the interview
– Great interpretation between tragic and humour
– Great interpretation of a classic. Really liked lighting and staging
– My first Shakespeare experience, I’ll come again
– Loved the simplicity of the staging – great lighting – very effective
– A great introduction to Shakespeare
– A really interesting adaptation, a wise use of staging and props. Really worth it!
– Very good performance. Excellent use of sound, music and lighting. Great costume design (red gloves). Overall great!
– I really enjoyed this. Have never read or seen Macbeth before. Very evocative performance
– I thought it was a fantastic interpretation, without diverging too far from the original Shakespeare!
– Very strong actors! Great show
– Very good. Liked the use of the “reportage”

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Macbeth – Biography of a killer

“La vita non è altro che un’ombra in cammino; un povero attore che si agita e pavoneggia per un’ora sul palcoscenico e del quale poi non si sa più nulla”

da William Shakespeare

Drammaturgia e regia di Laura Pasetti

TRAMA E CONTENUTI:
Gli ultimi giorni dell’assedio al castello di Cawdor prima dell’attacco finale.
Il generale Macbeth, assillato dai sensi di colpa, narra ad un giornalista la storia della sua ascesa e della sua caduta. Le ultime ore di un generale diventato Re con l’omicidio e con l’inganno, documentate da un reporter di guerra.

Mentre fuori imperversa la guerra, il generale chiede ad un giornalista di intervistarlo e documentare le sue ultime ore.
Macbeth rivela i retroscena della vicenda che lo ha condotto fino a quel punto rivivendo per il giornalista i momenti decisivi che hanno determinato il suo destino: dall’incontro con le streghe, alla decisione maturata di uccidere il re, all’inevitabile declino predetto e mai accettato.

Il generale racconterà la sua storia soffermandosi sui punti più oscuri, rivivrà con Banquo l’incontro con le tre streghe, il complotto escogitato con lady Macbeth, l’uccisione del re e la messa in scena per dare la colpa alle guardie, i sospetti sull’amico Banquo e la sua uccisione, la pazzia della moglie, il bosco “che cammina” e la battaglia finale sferrata da MacDuff che determinerà la sconfitta e la morte di Macbeth.
Il giornalista gli porrà delle domande e cercherà di trovare quelle risposte che la storia stessa e il pubblico non sono ancora riusciti a dare.

Team

Attori:
Steven McIntyre
Jamie Walker
Julia Dixon-Phillip
Matteo de Mojana

Assistante alla regia:
Valentina Albertario

Costumi:
Ginevra Danielli

Luci:
Manuel Frenda

Tecnica:
Malcolm Rogan

Voci delle streghe:
Dawn Jones

Walkie-Talkie:
Douglas Nixon

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