Shakespeare's "Macbeth"

A shadowy force makes an enticing promise to Macbeth, who has just returned home from war as a celebrated hero. Who could resist when opportunity beckons you to the throne? In partnership with his wife, Macbeth does his part to make the prophecy come true: The tyrannical couple shatter the order of kings with ever-increasing brutality. Who will prevail in the chaos of violence, power lust, and doubt?

Set in a mythical Scotland, the drama tells of a volatile political chaos. Taking action on the grounds of his promised destiny, Macbeth murders first for his political advancement, then to unsuccessfully alleviate an increasing paranoia. He buys “golden opinions from all sorts of people” but always fears “daggers in men’s smiles.” MACBETH’s world of defamation, mistrust, and spontaneous political improvisation provides a rich commentary on the fast-paced ruthlessness of politics and ambiguous diplomacies we are witnessing today.

Shakespeare’s classic is a horrifying story of power lust and blood, that at the same time carefully explores the gendered politics through the actions of a surprisingly modern (though somewhat twisted) couple. It engages with the psychological effects of an over-ambitious and reckless striving for power. Asking whether “Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill,” it invites questions about contemporary authoritarianism on the rise in many places of the world.

This University Players production remains true to the original text, maintaining Shakespeare’s original language with a few edits.