Macbeth

The stage is shrouded in smoke, the curtain has been drawn, and the witches have gathered: where nothing grows anymore, there they meet Macbeth. The brave warrior who wields his sword for Scotland encounters the witches after a victory. They prophesy that Macbeth will rise to ever greater heights—all the way to the crown of Scotland. Seduced by the prophecies and driven by Lady Macbeth, he begins his murderous ascent, until the blood can no longer be washed from their hands. With his shortest tragedy from 1606, William Shakespeare created the most famous tyrannical couple in world literature. Their story is timeless: Those who seize power will ultimately be torn apart by it. The witches who foretell fate in Shakespeare’s tragedy become beings of constant transformation in Tristan Linder’s production. Driven by curiosity about the human condition, they slip into the characters’ roles with playful enthusiasm, seriousness, and humor, experiencing their longings, their cruelty, and their vulnerability. They perform the song of power and filth, of life and death—and pose the question that extends beyond *Macbeth*: Must I harden myself to endure reality? What is humanity capable of, and what distinguishes it from other beings?