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"Theatre Babel's 'Macbeth'... offers a more thrilling and pacier version of the play... Director Graham McLaren's design looks fantastic and begins with a forest of swords that are subsequently raised so they hang over the actors' heads, gleaming dangerously... This production is full of good ideas." - The Guardian
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has invited Theatre Babel from Scotland to perform "Macbeth" in Hong Kong in December. This is a show that theatre lovers should not miss.
"Macbeth" is a Shakespearean tragedy, the dark and thrilling tale of murder and witchcraft, kingship and madness. It is also Shakespeare's masterpiece of violence, guilt and the quest for power at any cost. Unforgettably intense and filled with extraordinary insights into the darkest places of the human soul, "Macbeth" is unmatched in its powerful and frightening exploration of the corrosive effects of power. It shows with searing clarity how little separates military heroism from violent brutality.
Macbeth and Banquo were generals of Scotland. As they returned victorious from battle, they were hailed by three witches on a wild and windy heath. The witches prophesied Macbeth would become Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland. Banquo, however, would be father to kings. One by one, the prophecies came true. When Scotland's greatest hero became its greatest threat, it became a place haunted by terror and suspicion.
Theatre Babel have recently emerged as one of the UK's most exciting companies, renowned for the excellence of their ensemble performances and the clarity with which they convey the text. Babel's productions have a characteristic style that is richly imaginative and visually powerful, uses minimal sets and ignores traditional boundaries applied to classical drama. Babel has built a formidable reputation for world-class productions and their dramatic oeuvre ranges from Shakespeare to Moliere, Gogol, Ibsen, Chekhov and ancient Greek tragedians. Their works have won numerous national and international awards, including Fringe Firsts, the Scottish Saltire Book of the Year Award, the Best Performance Prize at the World Stage Festival and the Dora Mavor Moore prize for best touring production, Toronto.
Theatre Babel's artistic policy centres on "reinvestigating and reinvigorating classical theatre". Artistic Director Graham McLaren's distinct approach to both designing and directing has led to the company being described as "the great style house of the Scottish stage" (The Mail on Sunday).
"Macbeth" by Theatre Babel will be staged at 8pm on December 12-14 (Friday to Sunday); and 4pm on December 13 and 14 (Saturday and Sunday) at the Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $320, $260 and $180 are now available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-price concessions will be granted to senior citizens aged 60 or over, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. (Limited tickets for students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients are available on a first-come, first-served basis.) For group booking discount, please refer to the programme leaflet for details.
For programme enquiries, call 2268 7325; for ticketing enquiries and reservations call 2734 9009. Internet bookings are available at www.urbtix.hk. For credit card telephone bookings, call 2111 5999. Visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp for more information on the programme.
Ends/Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Issued at HKT 14:34
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