The weekend's second theatre performance - 'Macbeth'

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Aiming to be the UK's first sustainable outside theatre, The Living Theatre in the tiny village of Whitewell is well on its way, with brilliant and professional actors, directors and backstage crew. This week, they're performing Macbeth and the Sunday matinee performance managed to dodge torrential thunderstorms that brought pathetic fallacy to life in the hours running up to the start.

The Living Theatre

Founded in August 2020 - perhaps not the ideal time to begin any creative endeavour - The Living Theatre has clear aims: “To develop a professional working community theatre in a rural open space with access to industry experience for all whilst promoting mental well-being, community engagement and personal development.”

The Living Theatre's production of Macbeth (it couldn't have been more different to Friday's Present Laughter!) was dark and effective, with the two protagonists supported brilliantly by Duncan, Malcolm, Banquo, Macduff et al. This is a really collaborative cast, with witches doubling as servants and set-hands effortlessly, without in any way breaking their characters.

Support your local theatre where you possibly can - professionals like this or amateurs in your community. There are still three more performances of Macbeth, if you can get there. Click here for info & tickets.

If the pandemic taught us nothing else, it certainly showed that we need live performance, whether that is dramatic or musical.

Location: St Paul's Walden, Hitchin SG4 8AB, UK

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