Macbeth

As the fearless commander Macbeth is returning from a successfully fought war he chances upon mysterious witches, who in sparse words predict a stunning future for him. Immediately after, he receives the news of an honour awarded to him by the king as gratitude for his heroism; this award fulfils the first prophecy on his way to the throne.

Although Macbeth has killed countless people as a soldier, the thought of the bloody insidious act which would help him achieve the augured position causes him fear and doubt. His wife, however, is firm and demands Macbeth be a man and fulfil his (and her) wish. But the murder of the king is just the first in the series of brutalities that will hence mar their life.

In the tragedy Macbeth, the world is fully plunged into darkness and evil: the play begins with the end of a war and it ends with a new war. In the meantime, a series of crimes destroys the adversaries of the couple as well as the couple themselves, as they’re increasingly haunted by inner distress, horrifying visions and insomniac delusions.

Macbeth is considered to be one of the most radical presentations of evil in Western literature. But in spite of that a masterfully written play of intimate confrontation with the horror of one’s own actions allows to the spectator easier time identifying with Macbeth than with other Shakespeare’s heroes.

Shakespeare's masterpiece, in the new translation by Srečko Fišer, was directed by Janusz Kica, who has created a number of extremely accomplished and resonant performances at the SNG Nova Gorica, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Ondine, which similarly articulate cruelty in personal relationships and its reflection in the fantasy world.