Macbeth ten years on for East Sussex company

Boasting record sales with their performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the park earlier this year, Bowler Crab are teaming up with local charity Arts on Prescription to bring even more Shakespeare to Hastings. The performance is a one-off open-air show on Saturday, September 23, gates opening at 2pm for picnics and the show starting at 3pm.

Macbeth was first performed by Bowler Crab Theatre in 2013 with subsequent sell-out tours in 2018 and 2019. The piece follows the Macbeths’ war for the Scottish throne under the influence of witches, combining spells, prophecies, devious plots, bloody murders and a tragic love story. Bowler Crab Theatre Company are promising a new and exciting take on the play.

Bowler Crab artistic director Stephen John, who is also playing the role of Macbeth, said: “Bowler Crab has been running for ten years now and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate that than to return to our roots in 2013. Our first two plays in 2013 were Macbeth and Dream, two of Shakespeare’s finest works and definitely his most magical. We’ve revived both plays several times, new productions with new casts, costumes, new script edits and fresh ideas and stage designs each time, but this one feels very different. Whilst I’ve played Macbeth before several times for theatre tours and private bookings at schools and dining experiences over the years, I was not originally planning to be the tyrannical king this year, but after an unexpected reshuffle of casting, it’s been quite a pleasant surprise to end up taking on the role myself again. I am always amazed at the sheer number of interpretations Shakespeare’s works present and we as a company are so excited for the opportunity to explore new ideas and concepts for Shakespeare’s most notorious anti-hero once more.”

Bowler Crab is also performing Macbeth at Half House Farm in Three Oaks on Saturday, September 30 at 7.30pm and Sunday, October 1 at 3pm.