Previous Plays

Here you can find information on most of the previous plays performed by LEF. Always wondered who played Oberon? Can't remember who was in charge of props in Twelfth Night? You can find all this and more here!

"As you Like it" by William Shakespeare

As you like it was performed in April and June of 2009 in Imperium

"Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet" by


"The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare

"A Midsummer Night’s Dream" by William Shakespeare

(see "Photos" for a glimpse of the dress rehearsal in the Hortus Botanicus)

22-23 May 2002 in the Arsenaal, Leiden (originally to be performed in the Hortus Botanicus, Leiden, but relocated at the last moment due to bad weather)

Theseus, Duke of Athens, is preparing for his marriage to Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, with a four-day festival of pomp and entertainment. He commissions his Master of the Revels, Philostrate, to find suitable amusements for the occasion. Egeus, an Athenian nobleman, marches into Theseus's court with his daughter, Hermia, and two young men, Demetrius and Lysander. Egeus wishes Hermia to marry Demetrius (who loves Hermia), but Hermia is in love with Lysander and refuses to comply. Egeus asks for the full penalty of law to fall on Hermia's head if she flouts her father's will. Theseus gives Hermia until his wedding to consider her options, warning her that disobeying her father's wishes could result in her being sent to a convent or even executed. Nonetheless, Hermia and Lysander plan to escape Athens the following night and marry in the house of Lysander's aunt, some seven leagues distant from the city. They make their intentions known to Hermia's friend Helena, who was once engaged to Demetrius and still loves him even though he jilted her after meeting Hermia. Hoping to regain his love, Helena tells Demetrius of the elopement that Hermia and Lysander have planned. At the appointed time, Demetrius stalks into the woods after his intended bride and her lover; Helena follows behind him.

In these same woods are two very different groups of characters. The first is a band of fairies, including Oberon, the fairy king, and Titania, his queen, who has recently returned from India to bless the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. The second is a band of Athenian craftsmen rehearsing a play that they hope to perform for the duke and his bride. Oberon and Titania are at odds over a young Indian prince given to Titania by the prince's mother; the boy is so beautiful that Oberon wishes to make him a knight, but Titania refuses. Seeking revenge, Oberon sends his merry servant, Puck, to acquire a magical flower, the juice of which can be spread over a sleeping person's eyelids to make that person fall in love with the first thing he or she sees upon waking. Puck obtains the flower, and Oberon tells him of his plan to spread its juice on the sleeping Titania's eyelids. Having seen Demetrius act cruelly toward Helena, he orders Puck to spread some of the juice on the eyelids of the young Athenian man. Puck encounters Lysander and Hermia; thinking that Lysander is the Athenian of whom Oberon spoke, Puck afflicts him with the love potion. Lysander happens to see Helena upon awaking and falls deeply in love with her, abandoning Hermia. As the night progresses and Puck attempts to undo his mistake, both Lysander and Demetrius end up in love with Helena, who believes that they are mocking her. Hermia becomes so jealous that she tries to challenge Helena to a fight. Demetrius and Lysander nearly do fight over Helena's love, but Puck confuses them by mimicking their voices, leading them apart until they are lost separately in the forest.

 When Titania wakes, the first creature she sees is Bottom, the most ridiculous of the Athenian craftsmen, whose head Puck has mockingly transformed into that of an ass. Titania passes a ludicrous interlude doting on the ass-headed weaver. Eventually, Oberon obtains the Indian boy, Puck spreads the love potion on Lysander's eyelids, and by morning all is well. Theseus and Hippolyta discover the sleeping lovers in the forest and take them back to Athens to be married—Demetrius now loves Helena, and Lysander now loves Hermia. After the group wedding, the lovers watch Bottom and his fellow craftsmen perform their play, a fumbling, hilarious version of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe. When the play is completed, the lovers go to bed; the fairies briefly emerge to bless the sleeping couples with a protective charm and then disappear. Only Puck remains, to ask the audience for its forgiveness and approval and to urge it to remember the play as though it had all been a dream.

Paul Scheltus (Oberon), Julia Lintelo (Titania), Síofra McComb (Puck), Niels Klok (Lysander), Anne van der Krogt (Hermia), Ruud van der Zalm (Demetrius), Charlotte Tielemans (Helena), Rob Pieschel (Theseus), Annelies Driessen (Hippolyta), Moni Ghaoui (Egeus), Jop Hoekstra (Bottom), Egbert Langras (Quince), Mieke Hovenier (Flute), Marleen Spaargaren (Snout), Rieneke Kok (Snug), John Gruson (Starveling), Selina Broekhuizen (Philostrate), Xavier Baudet (Mustardseed), Matthijs van Zuilen (Horseradish), Nienke Venderbosch (Peaseblossom), Clara Takken (Orangeblossom), Karlijn Navest (Cobweb), Claudette van Caubergh (World-Wide Web), Ilonka van der Krogt (Moth), Jesaita Swartjes (Butterfly), Patricia Chaudron (Stick)

Director: Martina Noteboom

Assistant director: Egbert Langras

Stage manager: Clara Takken

Stage hand: Herman Duchenne

Props: Annelies Driessen, Ilonka van der Krogt, Matthijs van Zuilen

Make-up: Ilonka van der Krogt, Julia Lintelo, Jesaita Swartjes

Costumes: Clara Takken

Music: Xavier Baudet

PR & Acquisition: Claudette van Caubergh, Síofra McComb

Budget: Selina Broekhuizen

Dialect coaching: Alice Boers, Samantha Rice, Maria Sherwood Smith

Pyramus & Thisbe: Mieke Hovenier

Poster design: Kitty van Oosten

Acknowledgements:

Bart Veldhoen, Carla Teune, Arie Kraaijenoord, Yunus Verhorik, Joost Uding, Saket Kulkarni, Marion Elenbaas, Sjaak Bel, Sees Snikkers, Karin van der Zeeuw

Camino Real, Van Stockum Boekverkopers, Brederode, Leids Universitair Fonds (LUF)

"Twelfth Night" by William Shakespeare

In the kingdom of Illyria, a nobleman named Orsino lies around listening to music, pining away for the love of Lady Olivia. He cannot have her because she is in mourning for her dead brother and refuses to entertain any proposals of marriage. Meanwhile, off the coast, a storm has caused a terrible shipwreck. A young, aristocratic-born woman named Viola is swept onto the Illyrian shore. Finding herself alone in a strange land, she assumes that her twin brother, Sebastian, has been drowned in the wreck, and tries to figure out what sort of work she can do. A friendly sea captain tells her about Orsino's courtship of Olivia, and Viola says that she wishes she could go to work in Olivia's home. But since Lady Olivia refuses to talk with any strangers, Viola decides that she cannot look for work with her. Instead, she decides to disguise herself as a man, taking on the name of Cesario, and goes to work in the household of Duke Orsino.

Viola (disguised as Cesario) quickly becomes a favorite of Orsino, who makes Cesario his page. Viola finds herself falling in love with Orsino—a difficult love to pursue, as Orsino believes her to be a man. But when Orsino sends Cesario to deliver Orsino's love messages to the disdainful Olivia, Olivia herself falls for the beautiful young Cesario, believing her to be a man. The love triangle is complete: Viola loves Orsino, Orsino loves Olivia, and Olivia loves Cesario—and everyone is miserable.

Meanwhile, we meet the other members of Olivia's household: her rowdy drunkard of an uncle, Sir Toby; his foolish friend, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, who is trying in his hopeless way to court Olivia; Olivia's witty and pretty serving-woman, Maria; Feste, the clever clown of the house; and Malvolio, the dour, prudish steward of Olivia's household. When Sir Toby and the others take offense at Malvolio's constant efforts to spoil their fun, Maria engineers a practical joke to make Malvolio think that Olivia is in love with him. She forges a letter, supposedly from Olivia, addressed to her beloved (whose name is signified by the letters "M.O.A.I."), telling him that if he wants to earn her favor, he should dress in yellow stockings and crossed garters, act haughtily, smile constantly, and refuse to explain himself to anyone. Malvolio finds the letter, assumes that it is addressed to him, and, filled with dreams of marrying Olivia and becoming noble himself, happily follows its commands. He behaves so strangely that Olivia comes to think that he is mad.

Meanwhile, Sebastian, who is still alive after all but believes his sister Viola to be dead, arrives in Illyria, along with his friend and protector, Antonio. Antonio has cared for Sebastian since the shipwreck and is passionately (and perhaps sexually) attached to the young man—so much so that he follows him to Orsino's domain, in spite of the fact that he and Orsino are old enemies.

Sir Andrew, observing Olivia's attraction to Cesario (still Viola in disguise), challenges Cesario to a duel. Sir Toby, who sees the prospective duel as entertaining fun, eggs Sir Andrew on. However, when Sebastian—who looks just like the disguised Viola—appears on the scene, Sir Andrew and Sir Toby end up coming to blows with Sebastian, thinking that he is Cesario. Olivia enters amid the confusion. Encountering Sebastian and thinking that he is Cesario, she asks him to marry her. He is baffled, since he has never seen her before. He sees, however, that she is wealthy and beautiful, and he is therefore more than willing to go along with her. Meanwhile, Antonio has been arrested by Orsino's officers and now begs Cesario for help, mistaking him for Sebastian. Viola denies knowing Antonio, and Antonio is dragged off, crying out that Sebastian has betrayed him. Suddenly, Viola has newfound hope that her brother may be alive.

Malvolio's supposed madness has allowed the gleeful Maria, Toby, and the rest to lock Malvolio into a small, dark room for his treatment, and they torment him at will. Feste dresses up as "Sir Topas," a priest, and pretends to examine Malvolio, declaring him definitely insane in spite of his protests. However, Sir Toby begins to think better of the joke, and they allow Malvolio to send a letter to Olivia, in which he asks to be released.

Eventually, Viola (still disguised as Cesario) and Orsino make their way to Olivia's house, where Olivia welcomes Cesario as her new husband, thinking him to be Sebastian, whom she has just married. Orsino is furious, but then Sebastian himself appears on the scene, and all is revealed. The siblings are joyfully reunited, and Orsino realizes that he loves Viola, now that he knows she is a woman, and asks her to marry him. We discover that Sir Toby and Maria have also been married privately. Finally, someone remembers Malvolio and lets him out of the dark room. The trick is revealed in full, and the embittered Malvolio storms off, leaving the happy couples to their celebration.

Anne van der Krogt (Viola), Moni Ghaoui (Orsino), Annelies Driessen (Olivia), Ruud van der Zalm (Sir Toby Belch), Egbert Langras (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), Catharina de Bakker (Maria), Frits Heldeweg (Feste), Herman Duchenne (Malvolio), Julia Lintelo (Fabian), Matthijs van Zuilen (Sebastian), Niels Klok (Antonio), Marion Elenbaas (Valentine), Hester Bergsma (sea captain/priest), Rob Pieschel (servant/officer)

Director: Katrina Middelburg

Assistant director: Joost Uding

Stage manager: Nisrin Al-Rubayee

Producer: Kitty van Oosten

Executive producer: Rally Schwachöfer

Assistant producer: Jop Hoekstra

Costumes: Cathelijne van Oijen

Set and props: Lou Schwachöfer, Arthur Luiten, Rob Pieschel, Anne van de Geest, Judith Reijnen, Maarten Hulshoff

Make-up: Siema Ramdas, Mary Lou Buys, Cathelijne van Oijen, Rally Schwachöfer, Martina Noteboom

Language coaching: Rias van den Doel, Martina Noteboom

PR Officer: Rally Schwachöfer

Programme books: Rob Pieschel, Wim Teuling

Posters/Illustrations: Kitty van Oosten

Photos: Rob Pieschel, Wim Teuling

Alice Boers, Maria Sherwood Smith, Karin van der Zeeuw, Bart Westerweel, Peter Liebregts, C.C. Barfoot, Opleiding Engels, NKKK Europe, Jan-Paul Middelburg

The American Book Centre, Van Stockum Boekverkopers, Leids Universitair Fonds (LUF)

"Blithe Spirit" by Noel Coward

Charles Condomine, a novelist, and his wife, Ruth, have invited their friends Dr. and Mrs. Bradman to join them for drinks and dinner with a local clairvoyant, Madame Arcati. Charles is planning a novel about a homicidal spiritualist and wants to observe the behavior of Madame Arcati during a séance after dinner. The Bradmans arrive, and the four friends discuss Madame Arcati, sure that she will be a harmless fraud. They are interrupted when Madame Arcati arrives, dinner is served, and the séance begins. Much to the surprise of the two couples, there are supernatural manifestations--the table trembles, Madame Arcati falls into a trance, and Charles hears the voice of Elvira, his first wife, whom he loved dearly but who died several years ago. Frightened, he wakes Madame Arcati, and the party breaks up.

As Charles shows the Bradmans out, in walks the ghost of Elvira, gray from head to foot. Only Charles can see and hear her, and he and Ruth immediately quarrel about her presence. The cross-conversation between Charles and Ruth and Charles and Elvira is exasperating to Ruth, who, believing Charles drunk, goes off to bed in a huff.

The next morning at breakfast, Ruth is very cool to Charles and insists that he had too much to drink the night before. When he insists that he had a hallucination, Ruth attributes it to indigestion. The bickering continues until Elvira enters, carrying roses. When Charles sees her, a comical miscommunication begins, with Ruth unable to see or hear Elvira and feeling certain that Charles’s unpleasant remarks are meant for her. Ruth becomes convinced her husband is mad and tries to soothe him and go for a doctor. Charles, frantic to be believed, enlists Elvira’s help, and she moves a bowl of flowers around the room to prove her existence. Ruth becomes hysterical, not sure whether she is being deluded, is going insane, or is actually in the presence of a ghost.

Later, alone, Ruth visits with Madame Arcati again--and is shocked and angered that Madame Arcati is unable to dematerialize Elvira and also believes that Charles subconsciously wanted Elvira back. When Ruth is rude to her, the spiritualist leaves in a huff. Elvira and Charles enter, and Elvira seems delighted that she will be a permanent guest. Ruth swears to rid herself of the ghost.

Suspense builds when, several days later, both Edith (the maid) and Charles have accidents--Edith because of axle grease rubbed on the stairs and Charles on a ladder that proves to have been sawed nearly in two. Ruth insists, and Charles is convinced, that Elvira is trying to kill Charles in order to have him for herself again. Ruth leaves in the car, which Elvira had booby-trapped for Charles, and is killed in the ensuing "accident." The act ends with Elvira frantically retreating from Ruth’s ghost, invisible to Charles.

Charles calls Madame Arcati, who goes into a trance to try and dematerialize Elvira. It works in reverse, though, and in walks the ghost of Ruth, now plainly visible, along with Elvira, to Charles. After trying all sorts of supernatural tricks, Madame Arcati is about to despair; the ghosts simply will not go away. Then she realizes that it was not Charles who called up Elvira and Ruth--it was Edith. The maid, when discovered, is contrite, and Madame Arcati hypnotizes her; and the ghosts vanish at last. Suggesting that Charles travel for awhile, Madame Arcati exits.

Charles, now alone, but not really alone, teases Ruth and Elvira about how much he will enjoy his freedom. Vases crash into the fireplace, pictures come crashing down, the mantel topples--and the curtain falls.

Jop Hoekstra (Charles Condomine), Charlotte Tielemans (Ruth Condomine), Anne Sikken (Elvira), Kitty van Oosten (Madame Arcati), Ruud van der Zalm (Dr. Bradman), Yvonne Spuijbroek (Mrs. Bradman), Janneke Walstra (Edith)

Director: Katrina Middelburg

Assistant director: Herman Duchenne

Stage manager: Niels Klok

Producer: Frits Heldeweg

Executive Producer: Claudette van Caubergh

Costumes: Cathelijne van Oijen, Fanjah Limbeek, Anik ten Have

Set & Props: Rivka de Jonge, Anne van der Krogt

Make-up: Shawn Porter

Language coaching: Martina Noteboom, Beverley Collins, Rias van den Doel

PR Officer: Siema Ramdas

Light & Sound: Maikel Liem

Ushers: Rally Schwachöfer, Siema Ramdas

Programme books: Saket Kulkarni, Siema Ramdas, Claudette van Caubergh, Frits Heldeweg, Katrina Middelburg, Maje Noya

Posters: Siema Ramdas, Rachid van Es

Website: Saket Kulkarni

Tickets & Reservations: Claudette van Caubergh, Saket Kulkarni, Siema Ramdas

Illustrations: Kitty van Oosten

Acknowledgements:

Wim Tigges, Adriaan van der Weel and the Academic Press Leiden, Martine Barendrecht, Joke de Lang, Jan-Paul Middelburg, the English Department

Kooyker Ginsberg, de Klare Lijn

"The Taming of the Shrew" by William Shakespeare

In the English countryside, a poor tinker named Christopher Sly becomes the target of a prank by a local lord. Finding Sly drunk out of his wits in front of an alehouse, the lord has his men take Sly to his manor, dress him in his finery, and treat him as a lord. When Sly recovers, the men tell him that he is a lord and that he only believes himself to be a tinker because he has been insane for the past several years. Waking in the lord's bed, Sly at first refuses to accept the men's story, but when he hears of his "wife," a pageboy dressed in women's clothing, he readily agrees that he is the lord they purport him to be. Sly wants to be left alone with his wife, but the servants tell him that a troupe of actors has arrived to present a play for him. The play that Sly watches makes up the main story of The Taming of the Shrew.

In the Italian city of Padua, a rich young man named Lucentio arrives with his servants Tranio and Biondello to attend the local university. Lucentio is excited to begin his studies, but his priorities change when he sees Bianca, a beautiful, mild young woman with whom Lucentio instantly falls in love. There are two problems, however: first, Bianca already has two suitors, Gremio and Hortensio; second, Bianca's father, a wealthy old man named Baptista Minola, has declared that no one may court Bianca until her older sister, the viciously ill-tempered Katherine, is married first. Lucentio decides to overcome this problem by disguising himself as Bianca's Latin tutor and thus gaining an excuse to be in her company. Hortensio disguises himself as her music teacher for the same reason. While Lucentio pretends to be Bianca's tutor, Tranio dresses up as Lucentio and begins to confer with Baptista about the possibility of marrying his daughter.

The Katherine problem is solved for Bianca's suitors when Hortensio's friend Petruccio, a brash young man from Verona, arrives in Padua to find himself a wife. He intends to marry a rich woman, and he does not care what she is like as long as she will bring him a fortune. He agrees to marry Katherine sight unseen. The next day, he goes to Baptista's house to meet her, and they have a tremendous duel of words. As Katherine insults Petruccio repeatedly, Petruccio tells her that he will marry her whether she agrees or not. He then tells Baptista, falsely, that Katherine has consented to marry him on Sunday. Hearing this claim, Katherine is strangely silent, and the wedding is set.

On Sunday, however, Petruccio is late to his own wedding, leaving Katherine to fear that she will become an old maid. When Petruccio does arrive, he dresses in a ridiculous outfit and rides on a broken-down horse. After the wedding, Petruccio forces Katherine to leave for his country house even before the feast, telling all in earshot that she is now his property and that he may do with her as he pleases. Once they reach his country house, Petruccio continues the process of "taming" Katherine by keeping her from eating or sleeping for several days—he pretends that he loves her so much he cannot allow her to eat his inferior food or to sleep in his poorly made bed.

In Padua, Lucentio wins Bianca's heart by wooing her with a Latin translation that declares his love. Hortensio tries the same with a music lesson, but Bianca loves Lucentio, and Hortensio resolves to marry a wealthy widow. Tranio secures Baptista's approval for Lucentio to marry Bianca by proposing a huge sum of money to lavish on her. Baptista agrees but says that he must have this sum confirmed by Lucentio's father before the marriage can take place. Tranio and Lucentio, still in their respective disguises, feel there is nothing left to do but find an old man to play the role of Lucentio's father. Tranio enlists the help of an old pedant, or schoolmaster, but as the pedant speaks to Baptista, Lucentio and Bianca decide to circumvent the complex situation by eloping.

Katherine and Petruccio soon return to Padua to visit Baptista. On the way, Petruccio forces Katherine to say that the sun is the moon and that an old man is really a beautiful young maiden. Since Katherine's willfulness is dissipating, she agrees that all is as her husband says. On the road, the couple meets Lucentio's father, Vincentio, who is on his way to Padua to see his son. In Padua, Vincentio is shocked to find Tranio masquerading as Lucentio. At last, Bianca and Lucentio arrive to spread the news of their marriage. Both Vincentio and Baptista finally agree to the marriage.

At the banquet following Hortensio's wedding to the widow, the other characters are shocked to see that Katherine seems to have been "tamed"—she obeys everything that Petruccio says and gives a long speech advocating the loyalty of wives to their husbands. When the three new husbands stage a contest to see which of their wives will obey first when summoned, everyone expects Lucentio to win. Bianca, however, sends a message back refusing to obey, while Katherine comes immediately. The others acknowledge that Petruccio has won an astonishing victory, and the happy Katherine and Petruccio leave the banquet to go to bed.

Sandra Klaver (Baptista Minola), Paula van de Wal (Vincentia), Charlotte Tielemans (Lucretia), Katrina Middelburg (Patricia), Yvonne Spuijbroek (Augusta), Melissa Nadorp (Hortensia), Kitty Lau (Tirana), Rasjel van de Holst (Julia), Kitty van Oosten (Curtis), Marijn van de Geer (Pedant), Jan-Paul Middelburg (Christopher), Stanley van der Ziel (Piaggio), Frits Heldeweg (Widower), Jolieke van Oosterwijk (Tailor), Jolien Heukelom (Officer)

Cathelijne van Oijen, Melissa Augustinus, Eliane Scholtens, Katrina Middelburg, Lisbeth Hannega, Kitty Lau, Charlotte Wagenaar

 Artur Kuligowski, Renee van de Wall Bake, Ceyda Sipahi, Ilse Craane

Richard Gouw, Caroline Hampson, Jonathan Davidtz, Max Martin Lee, Augustina Pennisi, Max Taylor

Props: Miriam Polk, Caroline Fergusson, Laura van Santen

Language coaching: Rias van den Doel, Martina Noteboom

Prompter: Martina Noteboom

Monique de Coo, Maaike van der Plas, Vincent van Heuven, Ropeburn, ABBA, Eddie Izzard, Darryn Reeds, Femke Engelse, Kiki Klinkhamer, Eelco Slierendrecht, Gene Roddenberry, SMAA Catering, LAK theatre, Bart Westerweel, the English Department, Rijnlands Lyceum, Microsoft, Covered in Bees Productions

"Macbeth" by William Shakespeare

The play begins with the brief appearance of a trio of witches and then moves to a military camp, where the Scottish King Duncan hears the news that his generals, Macbeth and Banquo, have defeated two separate invading armies—one from Ireland, led by the rebel Macdonald, and one from Norway. Following their pitched battle with these enemy forces, Macbeth and Banquo encounter the witches as they cross a moor. The witches prophesy that Macbeth will be made thane (a rank of Scottish nobility) of Cawdor and eventually king of Scotland. They also prophesy that Macbeth's companion, Banquo, will beget a line of Scottish kings, although Banquo will never be king himself. The witches vanish, and Macbeth and Banquo treat their prophecies skeptically until some of King Duncan's men come to thank the two generals for their victories in battle and to tell Macbeth that he has indeed been named thane of Cawdor. The previous thane betrayed Scotland by fighting for the Norwegians and Duncan has condemned him to death. Macbeth is intrigued by the possibility that the remainder of the witches' prophecy—that he will be crowned king—might be true, but he is uncertain what to expect. He visits with King Duncan, and they plan to dine together at Inverness, Macbeth's castle, that night. Macbeth writes ahead to his wife, Lady Macbeth, telling her all that has happened.

Lady Macbeth suffers none of her husband's uncertainty. She desires the kingship for him and wants him to murder Duncan in order to obtain it. When Macbeth arrives at Inverness, she overrides all of her husband's objections and persuades him to kill the king that very night. He and Lady Macbeth plan to get Duncan's two chamberlains drunk so they will black out; the next morning they will blame the murder on the chamberlains, who will be defenseless, as they will remember nothing. While Duncan is asleep, Macbeth stabs him, despite his doubts and a number of supernatural portents, including a vision of a bloody dagger. When Duncan's death is discovered the next morning, Macbeth kills the chamberlains—ostensibly out of rage at their crime—and easily assumes the kingship. Duncan's sons Malcolm and Donalbain flee to England and Ireland, respectively, fearing that whoever killed Duncan desires their demise as well.

Fearful of the witches' prophecy that Banquo's heirs will seize the throne, Macbeth hires a group of murderers to kill Banquo. They ambush Banquo on his way to a royal feast, but they fail to kill his son, Fleance, who escapes into the night. Macbeth becomes furious: as long as Fleance is alive, he fears that his power remains insecure. At the feast that night, Banquo's ghost visits Macbeth. When he sees the ghost, Macbeth raves fearfully, startling his guests, who include most of the great Scottish nobility. Lady Macbeth tries to neutralize the damage, but Macbeth's kingship incites increasing resistance from his nobles and subjects. Frightened, Macbeth goes to visit the witches in their cavern. There, they show him a sequence of demons and spirits who present him with further prophecies: he must beware of Macduff, a Scottish nobleman who opposed Macbeth's accession to the throne; he is incapable of being harmed by any man born of woman; and he will be safe until Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane Castle. Macbeth is relieved and feels secure, because he knows that all men are born of women and that forests cannot move. When he learns that Macduff has fled to England to join Malcolm, Macbeth orders that Macduff's castle be seized and, most cruelly, that Lady Macduff and her children be murdered.

When news of his family's execution reaches Macduff in England, he is stricken with grief and vows revenge. Prince Malcolm, Duncan's son, has succeeded in raising an army in England, and Macduff joins him as he rides to Scotland to challenge Macbeth's forces. The invasion has the support of the Scottish nobles, who are appalled and frightened by Macbeth's tyrannical and murderous behavior. Lady Macbeth, meanwhile, becomes plagued with fits of sleepwalking in which she bemoans what she believes to be bloodstains on her hands. Before Macbeth's opponents arrive, Macbeth receives news that she has killed herself, causing him to sink into a deep and pessimistic despair. Nevertheless, he awaits the English and fortifies Dunsinane, to which he seems to have withdrawn in order to defend himself, certain that the witches' prophecies guarantee his invincibility. He is struck numb with fear, however, when he learns that the English army is advancing on Dunsinane shielded with boughs cut from Birnam Wood. Birnam Wood is indeed coming to Dunsinane, fulfilling half of the witches' prophecy.

In the battle, Macbeth hews violently, but the English forces gradually overwhelm his army and castle. On the battlefield, Macbeth encounters the vengeful Macduff, who declares that he was not "of woman born" but was instead "untimely ripped" from his mother's womb (what we now call birth by cesarean section). Though he realizes that he is doomed, Macbeth continues to fight until Macduff kills and beheads him. Malcolm, now the king of Scotland, declares his benevolent intentions for the country and invites all to see him crowned at Scone.

Shell, VSB Fonds Den Haag en Omstreken

"A Midsummer Night’s Dream" by William Shakespeare

(see 2002 performance)

Herman Duchenne (Oberon), Cathelijne van Oijen (Titania), Petula van Bers (Puck), Saket Kulkarni (Lysander), Marion Elenbaas (Hermia), Frits Heldeweg (Demetrius), Immanuele van der Jagt (Helena), Martin Pompe (Theseus), Kiki Klinkhamer (Hippolyta), Mariska Duindam (Egeus), Anik ten Have (Bottom), Leonieke Aalders (Quince), Evelien Hack (Flute), Mariska Coljé (Snout), Janine Kooij (Snug), Hester Marijnissen (Starveling), Mariëlle Kemna (Philostrate), Fenneke van der Deijl (Mustardseed), Fleur van Est (Peaseblossom), Melissa Augustinus (Cobweb), Elisabeth Duursma (Moth), Anna Kouznetsova (fairy attending on Oberon), Femke Engelse (Hippolyta’s attendant)

Director: Rias van den Doel

Assistant director: Kiki Klinkhamer

Executive producer: Reinout Bolweg

Props: Evelien Hack, Marion Elenbaas, Immanuele van der Jagt, Janine Kooij, Cathelijne van Oijen

Ass’s head: Michiel Kruithof, Immanuela van der Jagt

Make-up: Jesaita Swartjes, Els Lambooij

Costumes: Leonieke Aalders

Stage master: Evelien Hack

Sound: Michiel Kruithof

Choreography: Femke Engelse

Poster design: Immanuela van der Jagt

Special advisers: Paul Treanor, Bart Westerweel

Language coach: Martina Noteboom

Assistant drama coach: Jacqueline Kuik

Sponsored by:

Boekhandel Kooyker, VSB Fonds Den Haag en Omstreken, Leids Universitair Fonds (LUF)