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Five female ������Ƶ students perform a stripped-down, fast-paced version of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” Friday, Dec. 10, and Saturday, Dec. 11, both at 8 p.m. in Porter Theatre. The play is free and open to the public. Seating is available on a first come, first-served basis.

Mitchell Thomas, associate professor of theatre arts, directs a contemporary version of the 400-year old play, which includes modern dress and a stage completely surrounded by the audience. Thomas’ version highlights the psychological and physiological journey rather than the gore of one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest play.

“One of the results of cutting down the text to under an hour is that the audience will have no time to rest,” Thomas says. “It should be quite a thrilling ride for anyone who wants a guaranteed front row seat to experience talented undergraduate actors exploring this great and unsettling text.”

As an acting teacher, Thomas says he could spend infinite time delving into this rich text. “With the exception of Hamlet, Macbeth may have the most recognizable speeches, scenes and characters in the canon,” Thomas says.

With an all-woman ensemble, each actress plays a weird sister, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth and other characters in the course of the hour-long, un-sexed performance.

“All human beings have the potential for both the sacred and the profane,” Thomas says. “Rotating the characters from actress to actress may have the effect of uncovering the universal quality in their actions. What makes this a tragedy is watching these characters make choice after choice that leads to their physical destruction and moral disintegration.”

For more information, please call Beth Whitcomb at (805) 565-7140.