Samahaara’s Macbeth in Telugu makes the cut

Plot:

Samahaara Theatre Group

recently staged

Shakespeare

’s celebrated play

Macbeth

in Telugu. Directed by Nasreen Ishaque, the play begins with the brief appearance of the six witches (unlike three in the original) and moves to a military camp where the Scottish King Duncan is being apprised about his generals — Macbeth and Banquo’s victory over two separate invading armies. In the meantime, Macbeth and Banquo were returning from the war when they encounter the witches. The witches prophesies that Macbeth will one day become the king of Scotland. Following his wife, Lady Macbeth’s advice, Macbeth kills Duncan and assumes the kingship. Soon, he also murders Banquo and his son fearing they will be a threat to the throne. What happens when Macbeth visits the witches again?

Review: As every adaptation of Macbeth differs from director to director, this production, directed by Nasreen Ishaque, too saw some changes in the sequencing of the scenes. Keeping the plot and essence intact, this production was a smart adaptation that was brief, informative and interesting. Unlike the original, this play has two Macbeths and two lady Macbeths. The director incorporated the second pair using

mirroring technique

. While both the lady Macbeths were always in sync — from their dialogues to their gestures — the two male Macbeths represented the inner and outer selves of the character.
Apart from some effective acting, the minimalist stage and apt background score made this production stand out in terms of narration. The use of thoughtful
dialogues too elevated the production. The actors maintained the intensity of the dialogues and it spoke about the long hours the cast has spent in the rehearsal room. Nasreen’s choice to incorporate a small dance sequence, in a bid to add vibrancy to the narration, also worked in the play’s favour. The sequence had dancers in simple attire light up the stage with their energy. It also spoke of the director’s urge to move away from stereotypes and present the characters in new light. The cast adhered to minimal makeup and the male artistes, who portrayed Lady Macbeth’s characters, without being dressed like a woman, indicated Nashreen’s novel approach towards the

classic

.

Verdict: Thanks to a well-thought script and novel execution, this Samahaara production was worth. The scenes and the stage antics of the cast successfully managed to uphold the essence of the original, despite it being adapted in Telugu. While the idea of presenting a classic like Macbeth in Telugu in itself is an interesting and rare feat, the director’s attempt at playing with the sequencing of scenes without tarnishing the essence of the story, makes Samahaara’s Macbeth an earnest endeavour.