YVUA Arts present their award-winning About Lady White Fox with the Nine Tales, a retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth based on the mysterious and exotic White Fox legend of the Orient.
In the play, part of Assembly Festival’s Korean Season, Lady Macbeth is reimagined as a nine-tailed fox; a creature that appears in the legends of Korea. It can freely transform, among other things, into a beautiful woman often set out to seduce boys and eat their liver. Legend has it if the White Fox eats enough livers they can become human.
The play takes us through the Macbeth story we think we know but gives it an usual twist with live painting, physical movement and musical performances from the Korean cast. The dialogue is sparse (with subtitles for non-native speakers) but the show is visually arresting. The dark stage bursts into colour with the painting, costumes and movement of the cast, often words are not needed.
I found the play got off to a slow start but the explosion of colour, dancing, traditional music and humour in the last act more than made up for that.
The story was confusing at times but that was probably my ignorance of the White Fox legend. An enjoyable and interesting experience that I would recommend to anyone with an interest in folklore and mysticism.
About Lady White Fox with Nine Tales is on at Assembly George Square Studio Three at 1.00pm until 27 August (not 14, 21). Tickets are £12/10 and can be booked here.
