Taking the great Bard's work and fast-forwarding 400 years to set it in some postmodern, post-war, post-apocalyptic new world is always a bit of a gamble, but this production of Macbeth at the Riverside Studios has done away with pretentious arty-farty stuff and opted for an edgy setting. The Macbeths' evil scheming takes place at The Glamis Arms in the East End gangland of 1966 - cue television coverage of the World Cup - meaning that the murkiness of Shakespeare's dark world is fully brought to life. Add to this the fact that the script has not undergone a cockney rhyming slang updating - thankfully, Macbeth does not find himself in barney rubble (trouble) but rather, as Shakespeare intended, in "Double, double toil and trouble" - and here we have an evocative, bold and grimy thriller. The onstage seating envelops the audience in the midst of the action as they sit in the pub with the Weird Sisters, the Macbeths plotting behind the bar, and outside events are shown on the TV screen as Crimewatch footage.
The New Electric Ballroom
Riverside Studios Theatre, W6 9RL
3rd March - 30th March 2009
Dublin born Irish playwright Enda Walsh (Disco Pigs, Bedhound, The Walworth Farce), brings... More
Riverside Studios Café
Crisp Road, W6
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Tucked away in the shadow of Hammersmith Bridge this small, but perfectly formed, traditional riverside pub offers a peaceful retreat from the chaos of Hammersmith’s ... More
The Dove is one of London’s best loved riverside taverns. This charming 17th century inn is tucked away down a tiny alley and features Britain's ... More
Taking the great Bard's work and fast-forwarding 400 years to set it in some postmodern, post-war, post-apocalyptic new world is always a bit of a gamble, but this production of Macbeth at the 
