Leeds Playhouse to take Makebeth, a fun new, interactive craft-a-long retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth to neighbourhoods across the city

There’s nothing quite like stepping out of your front door to find a family-friendly new Shakespeare production happening in your community. But that’s exactly what will be happening across Leeds from 19 May – 5 June when Leeds Playhouse heads out on a Community Tour with Makebeth by award-winning playwright Hannah Khalil. This exciting new show is packed with live music, puppetry and hands-on creativity that transforms Shakespeare’s darkest tragedy into a joyful, laugh-out-loud, cardboard adventure.

The production, in which the audience is ingeniously at the heart of the creation, will visit neighbourhood venues across the city as well as playing in the Playhouse’s Bramall Rock Void. Audiences will be right at the heart of the action as they make the props, costumes and set during the performance, offering a truly craft-a-long story.

Makebeth at Leeds Playhouse and across venues in the city is proudly sponsored by Evans Property Group.

This playful, interactive, craft-a-long cardboard retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is designed for families and young audiences aged 7–11.

Directed by Ian Nicholson and designed by multi award-winning Sam Wilde, Makebeth invites audiences to use cardboard to make the witches, to become the moving trees of Birnam Wood, and to even help Lady Macbeth with that damned spot! It’s a chance to journey through the twists and turns of the Scottish play, brought to life using Cardboard Adventures’ trademark sustainable cardboard design. The company also includes actors Angus Tikka, Elizabeth Ellen and Harry Miller.

Don’t miss your chance to see this Shakespeare’s classic in this interactive production from Cardboard Adventures and Shakespeare’s Globe, in partnership with Leeds Playhouse and Chichester Festival Theatre.

Makebeth will play at Leeds Playhouse in the Bramall Rock Void from 27–30 May, alongside a Community Tour:

19 May: Shakespeare Primary School, Burmantofts & Richmond Hill
22 May: Interplay, Armley
23 May: Middleton Parochial Hall, Middleton
2 June: Bankside Primary School, Harehills
3 June: Slung Low, Beeston & Holbeck (closed performance)
4 June: Chapel FM, Seacroft
5 June: Castleton Primary School, Armley

The Playhouse has taken shows into neighbourhoods across the city since 2014, sharing professional theatrical productions in schools, church halls and unusual venues as part of its annual Community Tour. Previous productions have included world premieres of Asif Khan’s Sisters 360 and Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads.

Lily Craig, Interim Director of Playhouse Connect, said: “Our Community Tour is a wonderful way of creating opportunities for people to come together, get creative and discover more about each other. It is one of the highlights of our year, giving us the chance to take a fantastically playful, family-friendly show on the road. This year we’re thrilled to bring Makebeth to communities across Leeds.”

Cardboard Adventures Artistic Director and show designer Sam Wilde said: “Making Makebeth has been an absolute joy – taking something as iconic as Shakespeare and reimagining it entirely through cardboard has pushed us to be more playful, more resourceful, and more imaginative than ever. The show is full of humour and puppetry and cardboard craft-a-long magic, it’s really the perfect first Shakespeare, none of that sit down complicated language, just boxes and play! What I’m most looking forward to though is the wonderful music the cast have come up with. It sounds even better than it looks!”

Children must be accompanied by an adult during all the Makebeth production.

Makebeth plays at Leeds Playhouse 27–30 May. Tickets are available here.