To many, the works of Shakespeare can seem archaic and inaccessible, using language, references, allusions and humour too far removed from the modern experience.
Geelong’s newest theatre company is seeking to change that perception, beginning with an ambitious inaugural production this month.
Overflow Theatre, a brand-new independent company focused on presenting reimagined versions of the Bard’s plays, will launch itself with its production of The Tragedy of Macbeth at Platform Arts this May 14 to 18.
Featuring a cast of both established professional performers and emerging acting talents, the troupe is led by Josh Monaghan (Macbeth) and Emma Langridge (Lady Macbeth).
Overflow’s take on the Scottish Play is an “intimate, authentic, grungy interpretation of Macbeth that will make you feel like you haven’t seen the show before”, according to director Molly England.
“People can expect to be on the edge of their seats, horrified at the way that they connect themselves to the characters they see, and hopefully leaving the show feeling really introspective and contemplative,” England said.
“A lot of the time when we think about Shakespeare, we think about how traditional it is, and that’s one of the things I simultaneously love and despise about working with Shakespeare.
“There’s this sort of idea that you have to be an academic to understand these people in medieval costumes saying all these thees and thous. I really wanted to break down that stereotype and make it really accessible.
“It’s the same text that you would have studied at school… we’ve not translated the words themselves, but translated the context in which they are said.”
The play is set in an alternate 1940s, leaning into the supernatural sense of the work to create a kind of adjacent reality.
English said Macbeth had an enduring and ongoing significance.
“The more we sit and study it, the more relevant it is to our political situation in Australia and across the world,” she said.
“These characters, their experiences and choices, and then the subsequent consequences… We think we’re so advanced but really, Shakespeare sort of captured us 400 years ago and we haven’t changed very much since.”
Visit overflowtheatrecompany.com.au for tickets and more information.
