LADY MACBETH PLAYED WING DEFENCE Comes to Melbourne Fringe

Crash Theatre Company will bring a new, original Australian musical to Melbourne Fringe Festival this October with Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence. Get ready for hot and sporty girl power like you’ve never seen before. With power moves, pivots and literally, all the plot twists of a Shakespearean play. This award-winning show will play Melbourne Fringe for three nights only before touring to Perth, Bunbury and Adelaide in 2025.

Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence debuted at Perth’s 2024 FRINGE WORLD Festival followed by a sold-out encore at the popular Rechabite Main Hall. The production received resounding acclaim, achieving five-star reviews and taking home two of the biggest awards at the Festival’s Awards Ceremony. Crash Theatre Co received the Adelaide Tour Ready Award presented by Adelaide Fringe, and was also presented with Artrage’s premier accolade, the Martin Sims Award - recognising Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence as the best new Western Australian work that is destined to succeed on the world’s stage. The Award is named in honour of Martin Sims, former Chairperson of Artrage  (the presenter of FRINGE WORLD) and a life-long advocate for the arts in WA.

In a thrilling Shakespearean twist on the netball court, Mac Beth passionately pursues the coveted title of Year 12 Netball Captain of the Dunsinane Hell-Hounds. In a gripping tale of ambition, betrayal, and redemption, Coach Duncan's decision sparks a fierce battle for leadership. The Dagger Divas, a trio of dreamy melodies (think Dreamgirls but Mean Girls), visits Mac in her slumbers, echoing the bard's famous ghostly encounters. They fuel her with the fire to overcome adversity and fight on. Amid accusations and plot twists, Mac's determination leads her to the brink of glory. But her reckless actions take her to the edge of despair, creating suspicion and fear among her teammates. As alliances shift and friendships fracture, a climactic showdown awaits the netball battlefield. Will Mac's relentless drive for success ultimately lead to her triumph, or banishment? As the final buzzer sounds, all is revealed.

This energetic production breathes new life into a literary classic and is fuelled by an electrifying soundscape of electronic pop-synth compositions created by award-winning vocalist, DJ, and music producer, PROJECT BEXX (Bec Price). Since its highly successful debut, Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence has left audiences exhilarated, creating an overwhelming demand for school presentations and a national Australian tour kicking off in September 2024. 

Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence is led by co-directors Ana Ferreira Manhoso and Courtney McManus who in this production make their musical theatre debut. The story delves deep into the dangerous realms of unchecked ambition while highlighting the fierce determination and competitive spirit of teenage girls on the netball court. Presented by an all-female powerhouse team of Western Australian artists, audiences are invited to step onto the court of this contemporary turmoil that entangles the timeless allure of Shakespearean drama. Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence isn't just another musical; it's a vibrant cultural touchstone set to ignite across stages globally. The show serves as a catalyst, for the gender equality crusade, inviting audiences not just to an electrifying experience of music, dance and theatre, but to reinforce the vision for a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable future for women in sports.

The production will be presented to a schools audience with a curriculum-aligned creative learning program at Subiaco Arts Centre from 9 - 13 September 2024. Following this, Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence will debut nationally at the Sydney Fringe Festival from 26 - 30 Septemberbefore heading to the Melbourne Fringe Festival from 2 - 5 October 2024. The tour will continue in 2025 as the show travels to Perth, Bunbury and Adelaide for the Fringe Festivals.

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