Hyderabad welcomes a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth, popularly known as Macbeth, has long been one of Shakespeare’s most culturally influential plays. Bringing the magic of a psychologically and politically charged tragedy to life in Hyderabad, director Eugien Jos Chirammel dives into what prompted him to take up this ambitious production and adapt it for contemporary audiences.
Excerpts:
What drew you to Macbeth, and why did you feel it was the right play to adapt for Telugu audiences today?
I first directed Macbeth during my time at the University of Hyderabad, and returning to it after all these years has been a deeply personal journey. After that, I made a full-length play in 2023. Since then, my work has taken me into cinema; I directed the Malayalam film Soothravakyam. But theatre has always been in my blood. I come from a theatre family, and no matter where my creative journey takes me, the stage has a way of calling me back. This production felt like the right opportunity to revisit the play with greater life experience, a fresh design perspective, and a new set of actors.
Are any cultural influences woven into the production to make Shakespeare’s world feel more immediate and relatable?
We chose to layer it with symbolism. One of the strongest visual influences in the production come from images associated with faith, sacrifice, guilt, and redemption. These aren’t included for religious commentary, but as theatrical metaphors that deepen the emotional landscape of the play. Combined with Telugu performance sensibilities and contemporary staging, these elements create a world that feels both familiar and unsettling.
From the witches to the haunting visions, Macbeth is steeped in ominous imagery. How did you bring those supernatural elements to life on stage?
I was less interested in making the supernatural feel magical and more interested in making it feel psychological. The witches are extensions of the characters’ fears, desires, and guilt. Through movement, design, lighting, sound, and symbolic imagery, we tried to create the supernatural in a way that it becomes a mirror of the human mind.
What was your approach to the language of the play? Does it lean towards literary Telugu, colloquial speech, or a balance between the two?
The credit for the language goes entirely to our writer and adaptor, Mohammad Rafi Shaik. He chose a version of Telugu that is simple, natural, and emotionally engaging, while still retaining the weight and beauty of Shakespeare’s writing. One of the most interesting choices he made was in reimagining the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In the story, she is the driving force behind the story, while Macbeth is portrayed as more vulnerable and easily influenced. This brings a fresh perspective to the play and allows audiences to experience these iconic characters in a new light without losing the essence of Shakespeare’s tragedy.
For audiences experiencing Shakespeare for the very first time through this production, what do you hope they take away from it?
I hope they discover that Shakespeare is not something distant or intimidating. At its core, Macbeth is about people, their ambitions, fears, relationships, and the consequences of the choices they make.
Tickets start at `350. July 24. At Rangbhoomi Spaces & Events, Serilingampalle.