The Tragedy of Macbeth is directed by Tang Shu-wing who was hailed as one of the most prominent directors from Hong Kong.  It tells the story of a modern couple who makes a dream, in which they enter into the universe of ancient China and assume the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.  Triggered by the words of the witches that Macbeth will become the King, the couple commits a series of murders on their quest for the throne.  Macbeth kills the King, followed by his comrades, and everyone else who gets in his way.  In the dream, it is both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth who takes the throne.  The endless pursuit of desires brings humans to their destruction, which is a timeless and universal theme that rings true to this day.

Macbeth was originally commissioned by Shakespeare’s Globe of London, the UK, and the Hong Kong Arts Festival.  In the past four years, it has been performed in many cities and arts festivals in Europe and the Mainland, including the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, Shakespeare-Festival Neuss, and Guangzhou Art Festival.

With his unique approach to physical theatre and his mix of Eastern and Western theatre aesthetics, director Tang Shu-wing instills a rich imagination into the classic tragedy by Shakespeare.  In Tang’s original and daring interpretation, the male and female protagonists dressed in contemporary fashion slip into another time and space; against a backdrop of ancient Chinese landscapes, traditional Chinese clothing and live percussion, they perform the classic Shakespearean tragedy in Cantonese.  A sensation among the Western audience, the work has been praised by the Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe as the best interpretation of Macbeth he has ever seen.