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.