Zinnie Harris Archives - North West End UK

MacBeth (An Undoing) – Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

16May

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

MacBeth (An Undoing) – Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

Macbeth is often one of the first Shakespeare stories that we think of, it's known for: its scottish setting, it's themes of betrayal and manipulation and of course for its gory and dramatic ending. The tale is often told in the same manner time and time again, the tale of a man being told by a group of witches that he will be king, a manipulative wife who convinces him to murder the current monarch and the insanity and guilt that rips the married couple apart until ultimately, she commits suicide, and he is slain by a former friend. Whilst the original story exists within Macbeth An Undoing, writer Zinnie Harris has turned the tale on its head, asking what would happen if it were Lady Macbeth who took control? What if she had not gone crazy and instead Macbeth himself was the one takin...

13Mar

By Kira DanielsNo Comments

London

Macbeth (an undoing) – The Rose Theatre

She didn’t know what she was headed for, and when she found out what she was headed for, it was too late. Macbeths come undone. Playwright and director Zinnie Harris’s new and old work, Macbeth (an undoing) sets out to prove that what is done can in fact be undone rather than merely redone. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is arguably overdone, especially at the moment. From Ralph Fiennes to David Tennant, powerful male actors can’t take their grubby hands off it. Audiences too never seem to tire of it. It’s an enduring story, full of sound and fury, and rife with juicy monologues for actors to sink their fangs into. The juiciness of the plot even translates well into foreign adaptations and lubricates applications to very specific historical metaphors. However much of its adaptive appeal rests on wh...

The Scent of Roses – Royal Lyceum Edinburgh

10Mar

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

The Scent of Roses – Royal Lyceum Edinburgh

Scottish playwright and director Zinnie Harris' The Scent of Roses begins with a wife who takes her husband hostage to finally have an honest conversation, locking him into their bedroom for more than a night. But this isn't the whole story. In the five sections which follow we explore the interlocking lives of four pairs of people, each in their separate location, the first scene not so much sparking as giving the audience a way into a chain of conversations, obfuscations and revelations in this circle of connected lives. The constantly reconstituted set designed by Tom Piper is marvellous, starting off angled to contrast the natural shape of the stage and subsequently offering us four to five different locations mostly from the same pieces of wall, floor and slanted ceiling, the last ...

26May

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Meet Me at Dawn – Hope Mill Theatre

“No matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief or does it?” “Death ends a life, not a relationship.” The stunning Hope Mill Theatre opened its doors to a long-awaited theatre audience eager to get back to watching live performing arts. The Covid safety screening was efficient and slick where the front of house staff guided you through from the box office to the bar area where they had tables with sectioned screens and table service to minimise movement. British playwright, screenwriter and director Zinnie Harris’ Meet Me at Dawn was first performed at the Traverse Theatre in Scotland in 2017 at the age of 48 her plays have been translated and performed in many countries and she has directed for a number of theatres, including the Royal Shakespear...