Is the production suitable for young people?

• The production is recommended for ages 14+.
• With test audiences, young people have found the production to be very exciting and accessible as a way into understanding Macbeth and a unique introduction to Shakespeare.
• The production does contain swearing and violence and comes with content warnings. Anyone seeing it should review these before making the decision to come. These can be found HERE.

Should GCSE / A Level students come to see this production?

• Yes! But please note that this is a ‘re-telling’ of the play. It contains a lot of the original characters, plot and themes, but there are also some significant changes and additions. As long as the young person is aware that this is a re-imagined version based on Shakespeare’s original, they should get a lot from seeing this bold adaptation. 
• English, Drama and other creative arts students at GCSE level and beyond will gain insights into how theatre-makers interpret, adapt, contextualise and highlight specific themes within canonical works through the creative choices that they make. For further information on this, including curriculum links and questions to discuss with students before, during and after seeing the show, please see our free digital learning toolkit.

I’m a teacher. Can I bring my Year 6 class?

• Due to the swearing and descriptions/depictions of sex and violence, both in the staging of the original text and in the new material created for this production, we do not think it is suitable for any audiences under the age of 14.

How different is it to the original Macbeth? How much of the plot has changed?

• Our Macbeth is a very contemporary take. We take a lot of liberties with characters, dialogue and narrative structure. We have added some new scenes in our adaptation.
• The show is set in a fictional, parallel gangland rather than 11th century Scotland.

All of the characters in the play, aside from Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, are played by the three actors that play the witches. Some characters are conflated and some lines given to other characters.

Do they speak the original text / Shakespearean language?

• The production retains a large proportion of the original text – approximately half of it. The text slips between Shakespearean and modern language throughout the play. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth speak in the original Shakespearean verse almost throughout, including the ‘major’ speeches. All of the other characters use a mix of the Shakespearean text and modern day language.

Why are there warnings about gunshots? How violent is it? What abuse do we see? How much swearing is there?

• The characters use (prop) guns and knives. The gunshot sound effects are sometimes loud.
• The acts of violence are updated versions of the murders and violent acts in the Shakespearean original. Violence is often represented on the screens using graphic novel and animation styles.
• Historical abuse is referenced in one scene, and is represented using shadowy animation.
• There is swearing throughout.

Can you tell me more about the flashing images / lights?

• The production uses video projections throughout and at times these change rapidly
• There are short sections where the lighting changes rapidly but it is not stroboscopic.

How long is the show and is there an interval?

 Part One 55 mins, interval (15 mins), Part two 53 mins – approx.

Is there a programme?

• Yes, there is a free programme. It will be downloadable here after our first show.

If your question is not covered in the above, please contact us on thedog@imitatingthedog.co.uk