Henny Finch & Timothy Sheader – Courtesy of Helen Murray

Tim Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch announce Sheader’s first season as Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse. The season is comprised of the world premieres of 2 brand new plays, the UK premiere of an award-winning musical and a major revival. The Donmar also today announces a renewed commitment to developing younger audiences, making over 8000 tickets available at £20 for people aged 35 and under.

The season launches with the world premiere of The Fear of 13 by Lindsey Ferrentino, based on the true story of Nick Yarris who spent 22 years on Death Row. Directed by Justin Martin, and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, both making their Donmar Warehouse debuts.

Sheader then directs the UK premiere of Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. The multi-award-winning musical is inspired by a scandalous slice of Tolstoy’s seminal work War and Peace.

Anna Mackmin returns to the Donmar to direct the world premiere of her new play Backstroke – a tender new work that examines the mother/daughter relationship, and the impact when the roles are reversed. The cast is led by Celia Imrie who returns to the Donmar, and Tamsin Greig making her Donmar debut.

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From Easter to Midsummer’s night, Budapest and Hungary will become a celebratory meeting point for theatrical world as 400 companies from 58 countries converge to perform in the 10th International Theatre Olympics. Originally taking place in Greece in 1995, the event is theatrical gathering in the spirit of tradition, modernity, and the ancient Olympics. This year, companies from as far as Mexico and Japan will journey to the nation’s capital and venues around Hungary. With theatre, street theatre, dance, puppetry exhibitions and alternative arts, summer in Hungary will be packed with performance of all styles, shapes and sizes. The festival opening ceremony will take place on 15^th April with street performances and concerts all over Budapest (further details TBA).

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The infamous and consequential tale of political ambition, Shakespeare‘s tragedy Macbeth, renowned for its quietly sinister, psychological deterioration of both leads, articulates the ascension of, and inevitable downfall of a power hungry general – the basis of which can be traced back to a prophecy expressed by the famous three witches.

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Founded in 1987, Big Telly Theatre, founded by director Zoe Seaton has established itself as one of Northern Ireland’s most respected and long running theatre companies – their work spanning multiple sectors such as tourism and heritage. Adapting Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth for the digital stage, the production follows the director’s succession of well received online productions, her most recent – Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Ahead of the productions online showing as part of this year’s Belfast International Arts Festival, Zoe tells us more about her adaptation of the classic.

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After Der Fall Meursault – Eine Gegendarstellung and The Assassin, Iranian director Amir Reza Koohestani returns to the Kammerspiele with his own version of the Scottish play.

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Packed full of classical charm and dynamic vocal artistry, Macbeth takes audiences on a journey through Scotland’s civil war, yet adding the rich flavour of Verdi’s operatic genius. The English Touring Opera, conducted in this performance by Gerry Cornelius, incorporates the bloodthirsty and murderous Shakespearean favourite and balances it alongside the bellowing yet crisp tones sang by the vocalists.

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Munich Kammerspiele – Season 2018/19

Justice is “out” and immortality is “in”.

Artistic Director Matthias Lilienthal presented the new season together with directors Christopher Rüping, Susanne Kennedy, and Trajal Harrell in June. Whilst the press were enjoying Lebanese pizza and wine, Lilienthal announced  thirteen new productions for 2018/19 of which seven would be world premieres.

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Fake blood and papier-mache decapitated heads at the ready for this pop up theatre exclusive of one of Shakespeare’s most well known and goriest plays, Macbeth. Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre encapsulates the atmospheric openness present within that of The Globe in London, with its groundling style standing seats and tapestry painted stage ceiling, shimmering from the light of the open top roof. Actors voices echo around the space creating real drama, but even further drama when they launch themselves upon innocent audience members, unaware armed soldiers were using them as shelter from the nearby enemy.

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Rufus Norris‘ Macbeth, his first Shakespeare in 25 years, brings together National Theatre stalwarts Ann Marie Duff and Rory Kinnear as the doomed central couple. Unfortunatly Norris’ audacious interpretation is hobbled by confounding direction and a strangely vague sense of the world it inhabits.

Courtesy of Brinkhoff and Moegenburg.

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Samurai Macbeth? The words of the bard spoken in Japanese? I was instantly intrigued, if a little sceptical. Would a play in that asked me to read surtitle engage for almost 3 hours? Would the text be able to support such a radical departure in the setting? Will there be anything more to this production than just a change in aesthetics? 5 minutes in I receive an empathic yes, yes and yes. From the inciting scene with the three male geisha witches and Macbeth, it becomes clear that this is a special production and one of the most beautiful spectacles I’ve seen all year.

Courtesy of the Barbican.

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