INTERVIEW: Daring new production of Macbeth to premiere at The Dukes

A daring new production of Macbeth will premiere at The Dukes later this month.

From imitating the dog, the Lancaster-based creators of critically acclaimed and UK Theatre Award winning productions, comes Macbeth, an audacious and dazzling new retelling of William Shakespeare’s tale of ambition, betrayal, and downfall.

Fusing live action with striking video technology, for which imitating the dog are internationally renowned, Macbeth will run at The Dukes from February 28-March 4.

We spoke to co-director Andrew Quick about the show. 

LISTEN to the interview here:

imitating the dog brought their production of Dracula: The Untold Story to The Dukes in 2021, which went on to win the UK Theatre Award for Best Design, and the company are also well known in Lancaster for their striking projections at Lancaster Castle during Light Up Lancaster each November.

In Macbeth, three mysterious figures enter the stage. They talk of the hurly-burly, of thunder and lightning, and of a young couple who believe they can overthrow the old regime. They conjure the Macbeths, placing them in a dangerous new world where paranoia, betrayal, and brutality rule.

imitating the dog's daring retelling of Macbeth is a neon noir thriller where Shakespeare’s original language collides with startling new scenes, stunning visuals, and a powder-keg intensity. Age guidance 14+.

The new production’s cast will feature Benjamin Westerby (All’s Well That Ends Well and Wars of the Roses, Royal Shakespeare Company) as Macbeth and Maia Tamrakar (Spring Awakening, Almeida Theatre and Rock, Scissors, Paper, Sheffield Crucible) as Lady Macbeth. The cast will also feature Laura Atherton (Night of The Living Dead™ - Remix, imitating the dog), Stefan Chanyaem (Living Archive, Royal Court Theatre) and Matt Prendergast (Dracula: The Untold Story) as the Witches/Ensemble.

Andrew Quick, Macbeth Co-Director and Artistic Director of imitating the dog said: “Macbeth is an extraordinary play. Shakespeare’s exploration of power, ambition, violence, and love seems so relevant to today.

‘’We’re excited to be bringing Macbeth to The Dukes. It is a unique take on the original play, a Macbeth as you have never seen before, but still with Shakespeare’s story at its heart.”

imitating the dog have been making ground-breaking work for theatres and other spaces for 25 years. Their work, which fuses live performance with digital technology, has been seen by hundreds of thousands of people in venues, outdoor festivals, and events across the world.