CURRENT PRODUCTIONS
Macbeth
"All
Fair is foul, and foul is fair;
Hover through the fog and filthy air." (1.1.13-14)
July 27-29, August 5
Macbeth, a tragedy by William Shakespeare, is thought to have been first performed in 1606. A brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia. Forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion, he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler. The bloodbath and consequent civil war swiftly take Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of madness and death.
Exploring the themes of ambition and betrayal, Macbeth paints a picture all too familiar to the people of today. In Penguin Production's modern take, the mindset of politicians, military and leaders that have twisted and been twisted, is brought to light.
As You Like It
As You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio, 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility. As You Like It follows its heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle's court, accompanied by her cousin Celia to find safety and, eventually, love, in the Forest of Arden. In the forest, they encounter a variety of memorable characters, notably the melancholy traveler Jaques who speaks many of Shakespeare's most famous speeches (such as "All the world's a stage" and "A fool! A fool! I met a fool in the forest"). Jaques provides a sharp contrast to the other characters in the play, always observing and disputing the hardships the of life in the country.
A delightful take on young love and bending the status quo, Penguin Production's take strives to embolden the marginalized and entertain audiences with a fresh look at timeless themes.
“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.” (2.7.1037-41)
“Your gentleness shall force
More than your force move us to gentleness.” (2.7.998-9)