Although the tension before the opening premiere of Macbeth could be cut, the atmosphere behind the scenes was elated. The actors couldn’t wait for the audience. The night rehearsals were difficult, and the fact that the performances would start at 8:30 p.m., when it was still light outside, no one could have imagined. The exception is Lenka, who is not new to the Summer Shakespeare Festival.
Macbeth can be seen almost every day until July 17 in the Royal Garden of Prague Castle, starring Marko Němec and Lenka Krobotová. | LSS, Pavel Hejný
In 2015, you Krobotová she played the role of Mrs. Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, four years later she alternated with Petra Špalková as Hermione in The Winter’s Tale. In this year’s premiere, she plays Lady Macbeth alongside Marek Némek. “It’s a wonderful role in one of Shakespeare’s best plays that was simply impossible to turn down. The darkness of that character is very attractive as an actor, because we all have dark sides and demons within us, but he is looking for boundaries, what it is not to be afraid, and when and how to give things free rein. I look forward to such a challenge. In addition, I am also attracted by the big stage and outdoor space,” she said about her role.
“Macbeth was the first title that came to mind when I received the offer to direct from LSS. Of all Shakespeare’s work, this play is the closest to me. I realized that it is not so interesting to follow someone’s journey up, but I am much more fascinated by the journey to the bottom and the dark corners of the human soul. And everyone sometimes feels the desire to follow the lure of evil,” director Jakub Krofta explains his choice. Lenka Krobotová was his first directorial choice. “I was only looking for a suitable representative of Macbeth for her. I am happy that it was Marek Němec who accepted the offer. I think together they make an amazingly authentic and powerful couple that can really scare the audience!”
Macbeth can be seen almost every day until July 17 in the Royal Garden of Prague Castle, starring Marko Němec and Lenka Krobotová. | LSS, Pavel Hejný
And the witch? “You must be there! In our production, they are musicians, provocateurs – the production is a bit of their concert. The lyrics of the witches are partly set to music and interpreted with live saxophone, clarinet, cello and drums. Our witches mainly want to provoke the world to spin and not stand still. And they succeed in the case of Macbeth. If it ends well or badly, they probably don’t care enough, mainly so that it won’t be boring,” adds director Krofta.
Already in the dramaturgy of the play, the fact of darkening is embedded, which takes place in parallel with the performance, the atmosphere becomes increasingly dark, as the story of the tyrant descends into the dark night. In addition to him, reruns of the magical comedy The Tempest, The Winter’s Tale or Hamlet will emerge from the gloom on the stage of the Summer Shakespeare Festival.