CityLife

Zimbabwean exiles add special fire to Feelgood's outdoor Macbeth

Caroline Clegg and her cast dance up a storm

AFTER Feelgood Theatre’s triumph with their version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Heaton Park in 2007, they ‘wanted to create something very special’ for their 15th anniversary this year, says artistic director Caroline Clegg.

So they are collaborating with Theatre Under Fire, a group of artists who all fled to this country from Zimbabwe to escape persecution.

This joint project follows their renowned British/Zimbabwe production of Romeo And Juliet for the Commonwealth Games cultural strand in 2002, which fused Shakespeare, Ndebele and Shona dialects, African drumming, contemporary dance and acapella singing. 

Caroline said: “In 2002 our production of Romeo and Juliet – Thando And Ruhvengo – grew out of the Bulawayo township, Makokoba, before returning to Manchester for the Commonwealth Games.

Transcend all divides

“I promised then to do Macbeth not only because of the obvious resonances for people in Zimbabwe, but because Romeo and Juliet had articulated so well how cross-cultural music and theatre can transcend all divides.

“When I was there in Zimbabwe, I asked the then-Archbishop about the situation there and why no-one could reason with Mugabe? He said, ‘How do you reason with someone who’s lost their sense of reason?

“Immediately, some of the famous lines from Macbeth came to mind and this project has been with me ever since, although, obviously we couldn’t actually do it in Zimbabwe.

“There are so many parallels between the play and what happens with displaced people when the rule or kingship goes wrong in Sudan or Zimbabwe or other places in our time.”

Promenade fashion

The production, she explains, will be outdoors and ‘moving around scene to scene, promenade fashion’, in Heaton Park.

Caroline said: “We will be using lots of acapella singing and drumming, It’s a contemporary version and the idea is that artists from all over the world are coming together to tell their stories.

“The idea is that the Macbeth story is universal to everybody.

“So once we get into the play, the feel will be timeless but contemporary, very much in our style in terms of moving through the environment, with African dancing, drumming and singing.

“I suppose you could say that it’s taking theatre back to its roots of strolling players, with us all coming together to tell our stories and we all decide to tell the same story, which is the story of Macbeth.

Witches to fly

“The resonances of wherever you come from are there – kingship and corruption and power and what happens when that all goes wrong.

“We’ve got trees to climb and witches to fly, and bringing in Lady Macbeth, played by me, on a motorbike. It’s a very earthy play and the rhythms and the songs of our version bring that to the fore.

“It’s like a heartbeat, provided by the drum, that is the pulse of the environment.

Being outdoors gives it another rhythm, that of the trees, the wind, water – perhaps even rain. We had thunder and lightning when we played in the park in 2007, which would be more appropriate for Macbeth.


“There aren’t many jokes in Macbeth but it will be very entertaining as well as thought-provoking.”

Macbeth from Feelgood Theatre Productions is in Heaton Park from July 15 to August 2 (no performances July 19, 20 and 27).

Rain does not stop play and this is a promenade production, which involves walking approximately ½ mile as you journey from scene to scene. You are advised to dress suitably, wear comfortable shoes and bring something portable to sit on, eg: a rug or folding chair. Insect repellent and a torch might come in handy too!

There are Weekend Family Workshops at which you can learn to act, write a sonnet or stage fight on July 25 and 26 as well as on August 1. For more information or to book call 0870 428 0785.