Randai Macbeth

adapted by Norzizi Zulkifli
based on the play by William Shakespeare
ASWARA
Pesta Raya 2026
Esplanade Theatre Studio, Singapore

This is quite the treat. Shakespeare's classic tale interpreted through the Minangkabau folk theatre tradition of randai which fuses music, dance and martial arts into a form of communal storytelling performed in a circle. 

Adapted and directed by acclaimed theatre maker Norzizi Zulkifli, Randai Macbeth hews close to the original plot but cuts out most of the secondary characters, making space for song and movement to buoy the narrative. I particularly enjoyed the use of simple stagecraft to conjure up scenes: a bloodstained cloth unfurling from above powerfully signifies the murdered Duncan while swaying lamps are used to reflect Macbeth's tortured state of mind. 

It's a visually stunning production with strong performances and beautiful choreography, led by Che Kem as Macbeth, Juhara Ayob as Lady Macbeth and Amir Ameezan as Banquo. Admittedly, the surtitling proved a little clunky, using the original Shakespearean text alongside contemporary Malay dialogue, but it's a small distraction in a production that richly reworks a western theatre classic through a distinctively eastern lens.

The Crystalwords score: 3.5/5