5 January 2023

From imitating the dog, the 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 open at the Playhouse from 25 to 29 April. 

In 2021, imitating the dog brought their production of Dracula: The Untold Story to the Playhouse, which went on to win the UK Theatre Award for Best Design. Their unique and critically acclaimed Night of The Living Dead    ™ - Remix, a shot-for-shot stage recreation of George A. Romero’s classic 1968 zombie movie, visited the Playhouse in 2020.

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.

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 Liverpool’s Playhouse. 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. Past productions have included Hotel Methuselah, A Farewell to Arms, Heart of Darkness, Night of The Living Dead ™ -  Remix,  Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show and most recently Dracula: The Untold Story. Earlier this year the company staged Cinema Inferno, a ground-breaking new show for the Parisian haute couture house Maison Margiela, based on an original concept by creative director John Galliano, for Maison Margiela’s Artisanal 2022 collection as part of the official Paris Haute Couture Calendar.

Macbeth will be at the Playhouse from 25 to 29 April 2023. For more information and tickets click here.