Kabuki Lady Macbeth

Kabuki Lady Macbeth presents Shakespeare's story from its heroine's point of view, exploring her desires and motives. Though witches called Light, Shadow and Destiny lead us through the tale and warn that balancing light and dark, brave and gentle, is the way to a happy life, they wickedly midwife lady M's transformation from gentle lady to snake demon. When Lady M turns her "flesh to hot steel" in order to empower her husband, their passionate relationship and daring ambition enflame the couple to murder the Shogun, who stands in their way. However, Macbeth loses his balance in the crime that makes him Shogun, and the shaken Lady M, unable to enjoy being Lady Shogun, begs their friend Macduff to bring his family to court, so his wife and laughing children can comfort her. But Macbeth sends an assassin to kill Macduff's family, leaving Lady M in shock, playing madly with the severed heads of Macduff's family, whom she loved. The witches lead in Macduff, whose grief has given him the power to be one with his sword. Lady M, unable to save Macbeth, begs to be killed. The mystical power achieved by purity and honor is lost to Macbeth and won by Macduff as the witches console him: "Rise. Look to the sun. When evil is set loose, it will be someone's destiny to bleach the earth."