Turn, Hell-Hound, Turn! is an immersive re-framing of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Jumping forward and back in time, the retelling is set to draw audiences into the nightmare that unfolds after ambition gets the better of human nature. This new translation, from WAAPA graduates Lucy Lock and Jay Peardon, uses Shakespeare’s language to reveal the unrelenting nightmare of sacrilegious ascendancy; of evil over good, showing at The Art Room at Girls School from Friday, February 5 until Sunday, February 14 (get more info and tickets here). MICHAEL HOLLICK caught up with the show’s co-stars to find out how they have shaped the Shakespeare’s work into a beast of their own.
How would you describe your show?
Turn, Hell-Hound, Turn is an immersive re-framing of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. We believe that by playing with the story-logic and jumping forward and back in time, this re-telling will allow audiences into the nightmare when ambition gets the better of human nature.
How long have you been preparing for Fringe 2021?
We have been preparing for around eight months. Jay had a dream about the show, so we developed the idea of Turn, Hell-Hound, Turn for a university competition and from the joy that we shared, we simply knew that we had to pursue this world and the characters further.
Which Fringe shows have you caught so far that impressed you and what else are you looking forward to seeing?
Split Lip was remarkable in the way that solo performer Ginava was able to embody a seemingly endless multitude of personalities as both the lip-syncing and spoken word illuminated the history of each persona and left the audience with an overwhelming sense of empathy. I am looking forward to seeing Kalyakoorl collective’s FIRE, a story of familial reconnection and how the tension two sisters hold can be both humorous and haunting. Very excited to see this piece.
What’s one thing are you most looking forward to sharing with audiences?
One thing we are most looking forward to sharing is an revised adaptation that really deconstructs what the “canon” means to us as a culture now. I think our production in many ways dismantles the pedestal Shakespeare’s text is often confined to. We always aimed to ensure that the emotions are at the forefront; for they are universal and know no boundary of expression.
What do you think differentiates your show from the other Fringe 2021 shows?
The text, the movement, the madness. Once you step inside, you will experience a subterranean world of emotional conflict and consequence. Our vivid lighting additionally allows the experience to become all the more jarring in its intimacy.
And finally, what fruit is your show most like? And why?
Pomegranate, because in many mythologies pomegranates symbolise humanity’s central beliefs and ideals; namely, life and death, rebirth and eternal life, fertility and marriage, and abundance.
