Producer of the play, Melissa Simmonds who also founded the company here, said the company decided to do Macbeth as it was on the school syllabus.

She said the text remained the same, in the old English style, but has been adapted to a local setting by Glen Walford so the students would be empowered for the examination.

Local talent

Simmonds said they were using more local talent for the production, as she realised that theatre in Barbados had some gaps and most of the productions, like Holder's Season for instance, imported talent.

The play runs April 5 to 13 at Frank Collymore Hall.

A trained actor/producer, Simmonds has been visiting Barbados for the last 17 years and said she would like to see productions year round in Barbados, but funding was the main concern.

"There should be workshops in every parish," she said, adding that there should be something at every community centre where children could go and
put their energy into something creative.

"I would love to be able to perform plays all year round. We are speaking
to Government but we depend on private donations and sponsorships. We had Government funding last year and we are hoping
to have some this year," she said.

The cast includes British actors Peter Temple as Macbeth, Kwaku Ankomah and Ben Goddard, and locals Alison Sealy-Smith as Lady Macbeth, Patrick Foster, Varia Williams, Kenneth "Jack" Lewis, Levi King, Simon Alleyne, Ayesha Gibson, Ramona Grandison, Carlos Barrow, Jherad Alleyn, Anderson Armstrong, Christopher Morgan, Justin King
and Charles O'Dell.

The theatre company
is also contributing
to a worthwhile
cause and on the
gala night will assist
the Young Women's Christian Association. (WB)