Award-winning theatre company to bring Macbeth to Harrogate Theatre as you've never seen it before

Fusing live action with striking video technology, imitating the dog company will retell the powerful Scottish tragedy as a neon noir thriller where Shakespeare’s original language collides with stunning visuals, a new setting and a powder-keg intensity.

And that’s only the half of it, says Andrew Quick, who directs and ‘retells’ Macbeth with Pete Brooks.

"Our adaptations always have twist and turns to them to make them new and fresh.

"The audience should come prepared to be excited by something they haven’t seen before.”

For anyone who does not know imitating the dog’s reputation, it should be said this dynamic company has a long history of shaking things up to dazzling effect in a way that entertains as much as it provokes.

Past productions have included A Farewell to Arms, Heart of Darkness, Night of The Living Dead ™ - Remix, and, most recently, Dracula: The Untold Story.

While respecting the text, this most imaginative of Yorkshire theatre companies is keen to inject the modern world into everything they touch.

And they are as much influenced by the film world as anything else, as shown by their production of Night of The Living Dead ™ – Remix which saw them improbably recreate George O Romero’s classic 1968 horror movie shot by shot to incredible effect.

As for the new touring production of Macbeth coming to Harrogate Theatre on Friday, February 24 and Saturday, February 25, Andrew Quick says there is a little bit of a Japanese gangster movie about it, albeit set in 21st gang culture on the streets of London.

"In our version Duncan is a crime lord in Estuary City,” he explains over the phone.

"Instead of Scottish clans, we have London gangs.

"The kilts we have are a bit dark and punky and James Hamilton has written great music for the production based on loops."

Oh, and it should be added, imitating the dog have also come up with some completely new scenes and dialogue.

The cast of five needs to be good to live up to the company’s innovative vision and they certainly have the pedigree.

Featured in Macbeth are 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, Stefan Chanyaem (Living Archive, Royal Court Theatre), Matt Prendergast(Dracula:The Untold Story) and Laura Atherton ((Night of The Living Dead™ - Remix, imitating the dog), as the Witches/Ensemble.

The aim is to respect the meaning of Shakespeare, rather than staying faithful to tradition.

In imitating the dog’s way of thinking, the world’s greatest-ever playwright is a modern thinker with modern themes.

"Macbeth is about power and money,” says Andrew,” and that never goes out of fashion.

"When we did some previews of Macbeth at Leeds Playhouse, audiences responded really well, which was great.”

Tickets are available at www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk