Proteus Theatre Company Presents Re-imagining Of MACBETH

Award-winning theatre company Proteus present a highly physical re-imagining of Shakespeare's Macbeth as a corporate thriller set against the backdrop of the 'greed is good' culture of 1980s Britain. The show will be at the Connaught Theatre, with performances on Friday 8th November at 2pm and 7:30pm and on Saturday 9th November at 7:30pm.

Set in London during the stock market crash of 1987, this new adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth by award-winning theatre company Proteus takes the macabre tale to the trading room floor. The entirely ethnically diverse cast have worked closely with Theatre Ad Infinitum's George Mann to create a highly physical, major new interpretation of a classic. Directed by Mary Swan, the artistic director of Proteus, this Macbeth is a gripping corporate thriller.

A Great Storm, a Black Monday, a market crash that reverberates across the world - Proteus' Macbeth is suffused with decadence and aggression as a tormented soul finds the noose of bravado begin to tighten. Exploring the pressures of race, class and identity, sudden betrayal and even more sudden violence shake a society to its core.

Set to an electrifying soundtrack of eighties classics, Macbeth interrogates how Thatcher's government legitimised behemoth corporations to act above the law - like the feuding Thanes of Scotland. The production joins the 'greed is good' corporate landscape where, in the City, success is all and ruthless ambition is rewarded. The only problem is, how do you control it before it consumes you and your family?

Director Mary Swan comments, "A story of power and corruption within a country divided against itself, Macbeth follows the final death throes of an old political order. To create an exciting and contemporary physical production that speaks to audiences today, we have set the play in 1987 to discuss, through the prism of history, how Thatcher's Britain and Reaganomics created our modern political and economic landscape. With a cast that is seldom seen in major Shakespearean roles, we seek to highlight the lack of diversity in classical theatre and create theatre accessible to young people."

Leading the production, Hassan Maarfi (The Left Behind, BBC; Playing with Shakespeare, Theatre Royal Shakespeare) will appear as Macbeth joined by Kudzanayi Chiwawa (The Importance of Being Earnest, Tara Theatre; One Hundred Trillion, Southwark Playhouse) as Lady Macbeth. Also joining the cast are Adrian Decosta (Nation, National Theatre; The Taming of the Shrew, RSC), Jessica Andrade (Around the World in 80 Days, UK tour) and Adam Buksh (Scot Squad, BBC).

Proteus Theatre Company is one of the south's foremost touring companies, established for over 30 years and best known for its brand new productions, innovative staging and in depth character work. Since 2004 the company has been led by internationally acclaimed director, Mary Swan who has developed the company's distinctive style of fusing performance, circus, puppetry and music. Proteus is based at the Creation Space in Basingstoke, a community arts and performance space and which offers a varied programme of performance, residencies, workshops, training and participatory events, alongside a busy performance schedule touring nationally.

Tickets for Macbeth are available from £16.50 and are available to purchase from the Worthing Theatres box office on 01903 206 206 and online at worthingtheatres.co.uk.

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