Neptune Theatre release:
A re-imagining of MacBeth opens October 3 on Neptune Theatre’s Scotiabank Studio Stage. Co-presented with the Prismatic Arts Festival, Pawâkan MacBeth by Reneltta Arluk is a community re-telling of Shakespeare’s darkest play.
Set during pre-colonization, when Plains Cree were allied with Stoney Nakoda, and at war with Blackfoot over territory, food, supplies and trade. When true autonomy existed among Indigenous Peoples and with that their spirits, their wisdom, practices, makers, tricksters, shifters, their darkness and light. As the Canadian Government moves west with Sir John A. MacDonald as the leader, a harsh new world wrought with immense fear, starvation, and uncertainty awaken the darkest of Cree spirits, the Wihtiko – a being with insatiable greed.
Through the exploration of Plains Cree language, history, stories and cosmology Arluk asks, What is it to be human? What makes a human vulnerable to the Wihtiko? Inspired by working with the youth of Frog Lake First Nation, and shared stories from Elders in the Treaty 6 region, Arluk has created a terrifying journey through love, greed, honour and betrayal, with coyote howlers teaching us that resurgence requires balance.
“Akpik Theatre, under the visionary leadership of Renellta Arluk, is an extraordinary force in the world of performing arts,” says Prismatic Artistic Director Raeesa Lalani. “Her ability to weave together diverse narratives and bring them to life on stage is nothing short of magical, leaving a profound impact on both the local audience and the broader artistic landscape.”
Playing October 3 – 8, 2023 tickets are selling briskly for this production, and can be purchased online at www.neptunetheatre.com or by calling the Box Office at (902) 429-7070.