9:00pm Monday 28th December 2009
By James Kershaw
DOUBLE, double, toil and trouble spells are heading this way with Shakespeare 4 Kidz’ production of Macbeth.
The famous Scottish play visits the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff, on January 13.
Macbeth tells the blood-soaked story of a murderous Scottish warrior with aspirations of becoming the King of Scotland.
Egged on by the prophecies of three weird witches and the ambitions of his evil wife, he removes every obstacle in his path until he can seize the throne.
The difference this time is the play is performed in a way that is more accessible to children. Shakespeare 4 Kidz plays use the most famous lines from the original texts, weave them into modern language, and add some songs and dances into the mix.
The result is an amazing two-hour show. It has been well received each of the five times it has toured the UK since 2000. But creator Julian Chenery believes in the curse said to dog the play.
He says in 2000 it rained for three months which affected all their get-ins and get-outs for their scenery and props, there was a national fuel strike which made it impossible to move the production around the UK, the actor playing Banquo hit his head on the coach windscreen, the actor playing King Duncan went down with Bell’s Palsy making half his face freeze, and one of the stage crew walked into a door and fractured her skull.
Apart from that the show was a huge hit! Now, you can catch this haunted tale – if you dare – when it hits town.
Macbeth, Cliffs Pavilion, Station Road, Westcliff.
January 13, 10.30am and 1.30pm. £9.50-£16. 01702 351135
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.echo-news.co.uk