Most of us have heard the legendary tales of Macbeth, Arthurian legend, Morgana, and the Ancient Greek Agamemnon.
The three classic characters and their individual stories are all heading to Stratford this month, but not as we know them. All three protagonists have been taken out of their original context and transported into a different era in the award-winning theatrical production, The Bunker Trilogy.
The production, which will be spread across three days, will take the audience to the heart of the First World War where all three characters will take their posts in a purpose built replica bunker.
The event, which has performed two sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013 and 2014, followed by the Southwark Playhouse and the Seoul Performing Arts Festival in South Korea, is heading to east London for the first time.
Jethro Compton, who heads the company behind the show, said: “We’re really thrilled to be opening the season at Stratford Circus Arts Centre.
“It’s always wonderful to present work in London, especially when the theatre are so supportive of what we’re setting out to do.
“These shows aren’t the traditional sort of work that tours, the very nature of the installation style means we normally only present them in a festival environment – the team at Stratford have been amazingly accommodating.”
The tales of each character will be retold individually across the separate shows with Macbeth being trapped on the front lines, Agamemnon suffering the delusions of a shell-shocked soldier and Morgana fighting in France.
Jethro said: “I have always loved telling well known stories in a different context or setting. The Bunker takes three classic tales and their characters and completely transports them into the First World War.”
The theatre producer also explained how the audience will be able to relate to the themes explored in the plays.
He said:
“The plays deal with universal themes, the idea of leaving home to fight for something you believe in, to protect your family, or being far from home and longing to return, they’re themes that we can all relate to.
“The First World War has been very much in our society’s awareness over the last two years, it’s something that affects us or has affected us all in one way or another.
“I think there’s something incredibly powerful in watching a group of young men and women telling stories in that setting, it offers a very human perspective to something from our recent history.”
The performances take place at Stratford Circus Arts Centre between September 24 and October 3.
For more information visit stratford-circus.com
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