Menu

Press

A Chicago Shakespeare Theater World’s Stage presentation
From the National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shakespeare Company

Dunsinane

An imagined sequel to Shakespeare’s Macbeth Comes to Chicago
in its US Premiere Tour February 26–March 22, 2015

Chicago—January 13, 2015—Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) welcomes the world-renowned National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Dunsinane—a captivating sequel to Shakespeare’s Macbeth—in its US Premiere tour. Written by David Greig and directed by Roxana Silbert, this World’s Stage Series presentation explores one man's attempt to restore peace in a country consumed by war following the bloody conclusion of Shakespeare’s timeless drama. Dunsinane takes Scotland's real history and dramatically reimagines the chapter after Macbeth's death. These two distinguished theaters join forces to present Dunsinane at Chicago Shakespeare Theater for a limited engagement February 26 through March 22, 2015.

At the outset of Dunsinane, Macbeth is dead. Under cover of night, the English army has swept in, killed the tyrant and claimed Scotland's seat of power. English commanding officer Siward finds his efforts to restore order futile as the situation spins out of control. Struggling to grasp the alien customs and politics of this harsh country, he finds himself drawn towards Macbeth’s powerful widow, Gruach. In keeping with true historical events, Lady Macbeth has outlived her husband and seeks to enforce her familial claim to the throne.

Fierce one minute and funny the next, Dunsinane infuses a dark story with rich humor to create a lively, vital examination of power—illuminating uncanny parallels between Scotland's medieval and present-day political landscapes on the heels of the recent hotly contested Scottish Referendum vote. London's The Times proclaims, "If it's riveting spectacle, challenging ideas and human drama you want, this is the show to see." The Guardian calls the production “a work of compelling intelligence, provocation and wit.” After premiering at London’s Hampstead Theatre in 2010, Dunsinane enjoyed extended runs at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre and in theaters around Scotland before highly successful tours to East Asia, Russia and now the United States.

Chicago audiences will remember the work of playwright David Greig from the National Theatre of Scotland’s presentation of The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare in the fall of 2012. In addition to a longstanding partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland, Greig’s critically acclaimed plays have been translated and produced throughout Europe, the United States and Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan and Korea. This is the fifth time that Chicago Shakespeare has welcomed a National Theatre of Scotland production to Chicago as part of the World’s Stage Series; previous productions The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart (2012), Black Watch (2011, 2012) and Long Gone Lonesome (2012) inspired audiences with the Theatre’s impassioned storytelling and imaginative stagings.

Dunsinane Director Roxana Silbert is an associate director at the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she develops and commissions new work. She also serves as the artistic director of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. At the RSC, she has most recently directed Richard III, A Life of Galileo, Measure for Measure and Such Tweet Sorrow—the world’s first play for Twitter. For Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Ms. Silbert directed the world premiere of Orphans by Dennis Kelly in 2009. This production also played at the Traverse during the Edinburgh Fringe where it won a Fringe First award.

Scottish leading lady Siobhan Redmond performs the role of Macbeth’s widow Gruach, joined by British stage and screen actor Darrell D’Silva in the role of Siward. Ewan Donald (Malcolm), Keith Fleming (Macduff), Alex Mann (Egham) return to Dunsinane for the US premiere tour. An ensemble featuring George Brockbanks, Helen Darbyshire, Tom Gill, Toyin Omari Kinch, Arthur McBain, Matt McClure and Mairi Morrison complete the cast.

In addition to Director Roxana Silbert, the Dunsinane creative team includes Robert Innes Hopkins (Designer), Chahine Yavroyan (Lighting Designer), Nick Powell (Composer and Sound Designer), Luke Kernaghan (Associate Director), Anna Morrissey (Movement Director), Polly Bennett (Associate Movement Director), Terry King (Fight Director), Stephen Kemble (Voice Coach) and Ruth Cooper-Brown (Archery Consultant). Musical scoring is provided by Music Director Rosalind Acton (Cello), Robert Owen (Percussion) and Andy Taylor (Guitarist).

For a complete listing and bios of the company and creative team, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/dunsinane.

Dunsinane will be performed in CST’s Courtyard Theater February 26–March 22, 2015. Tickets are on sale now for $58–$88 with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40% discount on guaranteed parking in Navy Pier garages. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and the recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award®. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare’s work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World’s Stage Series. Through a year-round season encompassing more than 650 performances, CST attracts 225,000 audience members annually. One in four of its audience members is under eighteen years old, and today its education programs have impacted the learning of over one million students. CST is proud to take an active role in empowering the next generation of literate, engaged cultural champions and creative minds.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL THEATRE OF SCOTLAND

The National Theatre of Scotland is dedicated to playing the great stages, arts centers, village halls, schools and site-specific locations of Scotland, the UK and internationally. As well as creating ground-breaking productions and working with the most talented theater-makers, the National Theatre of Scotland produces significant community engagement projects, innovates digitally and works constantly to develop new talent. Central to this is finding pioneering ways to reach current and new audiences and to encourage people’s full participation in the Company’s work. With no performance building of its own, the Company works with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theater of the highest quality. Founded in 2006, the Company, in its short life, has become a globally significant theatrical player, with an extensive repertoire of award-winning work. The National Theatre of Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government. www.nationaltheatrescotland.com

ABOUT THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

Everyone at the Royal Shakespeare Company, from actors to technicians, milliners to musicians, plays a part in creating the world you see on stage. Our work begins its life at our Stratford workshops, rehearsal rooms and theaters and we share it with audiences across the world through our touring, residencies, live broadcasts and online activity. So, wherever you experience the RSC, you experience work that began life in Shakespeare’s home town. Shakespeare has been performed and celebrated in Stratford for centuries and the RSC has trained generations of the very best theater makers since the Company was founded. We pioneer contemporary approaches to Shakespeare’s plays, as well as staging the work of other writers and artists. www.rsc.org.uk

 

 

# # #

   

 

Contact Us
 

Hannah Kennedy
Director of Communications
hkennedy@chicagoshakes.com

Emma Perrin
Public Relations & Digital Media Manager
eperrin@chicagoshakes.com
Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Media Office
312.667.4957

Cathy Taylor
cathy@cathytaylorpr.com
Cathy Taylor Public Relations
773.564.9564

Chicago Shakespeare Theater
on Navy Pier
800 East Grand Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

Additional Pages