Can they escape the curse? Kerikeri Theatre Co tries again to stage Macbeth

Is this a dagger I see before me? John Oszajca plays the ill-fated star of Macbeth. Photo / Supplied

A band of Northland actors is hoping to finally dodge theatre’s best-known curse by staging a long-awaited production of Macbeth starting tomorrow night.

Kerikeri Theatre Company’s version of the great Shakespeare tragedy was famously derailed by the Covid pandemic in February last year when its cast and crew were hit by the first outbreak of the Omicron variant in Northland.

The virus had been contracted by a member of an actor’s family at a Hamilton music festival before spreading through the cast.

Two cast members were hospitalised but recovered. Rehearsals were halted as everyone associated with the play went into isolation.

The actors had hoped that was the end of it but in recent months lead actor and co-producer John Oszajca has been beset by a series of family emergencies and personal losses, and been stuck in an airport in the US for six days while rehearsals had to go on without him.

For centuries some actors have believed the play to be cursed, while others refuse even to use its name — referring to it only as “the Scottish play”.

Oszajca said he had never bought into the curse of Macbeth.

“To me, it’s kind of nonsense. But I admit I was starting to think, is there something to it? This production has had more challenges than I’ve ever thought possible. Over the past two months, most of them have fallen on me.”

Part of the cast of the Kerikeri Theatre Company production of Macbeth which starts on February 9. Photo / Supplied

Oszajca’s most recent trip to the US for a funeral was supposed to last four days. Instead, he got stuck at San Francisco airport for another six days for a raft of reasons including the Auckland floods and mechanical problems with the aircraft.

Twice he got as far as the runway before the flight was once again cancelled.

“Every day you’re going, ‘it can’t get worse’, and then it does,” he said.

However, the play’s year-long delay had a silver lining, the Hawaiian-born actor-singer-songwriter said.

“We were ready to go last year but it’s been wonderful to have this extra time because we were able to spend a lot more time getting into character. Often in these productions you don’t have the time. You’re just trying to grasp the words and then it’s showtime, and these are very complex characters with a lot of depth. So as actors it’s been great to be able to work on that. The entire cast is going to present some top-notch performances.”

Oszajca said it wasn’t unusual for a professional production to have just three weeks to prepare.

“We’ve had one and a half years. We’ve got great actors, great costumes, great make-up, and great sets. All biases aside, I think this is going to be a damn good show.”

The title role in the Kerikeri Theatre Company production is played by John Oszajca of Kerikeri. Photo / Supplied

Most actors from last year’s postponed production had returned but a few had to pull out due to conflicting commitments.

They included Lady Macduff, now played by Josie Keating, as well as Ross and one of the three witches.

The only remaining worry for the outdoor production was Northland’s lacklustre summer. The forecast for the first week’s shows, however, was clear.

The “Macbeth cluster” — the first outbreak of Omicron in Northland — made front page news last February and forced the play to be postponed for a year. Photo / NZME

Audiences should not be put off by the idea the bard was hard to understand, Oszajca said.

“Shakespeare can be a bit much for some people and, frankly, I’m one of them. But Macbeth is one that’s very easy to understand even if you don’t pick up on the nuances of language. It’s very easy to get sucked into the drama of these characters and what they’re going through,” he said.

“There’s also a lot of physical action — we’ve got witches, sorcery, swordfights, murder, lust for power, and guilt, not to mention a beautiful outdoor setting.”

Kerikeri’s Isa Hackett as the scheming but guilt-ridden Lady Macbeth. Photo / Supplied

Oszajca urged Northlanders to support the performing arts by coming to one of the six shows.

“We’re a non-profit group so we’re not putting money in our pockets. Sure, we enjoy it, but we’re doing it for Northland.”

Lady Macbeth is played by Isa Hackett. The play is directed by Adam Parmenter and Jenni Prisk, and the producer is Teresa Wakelin.

■ Kerikeri Theatre Company’s Macbeth will be staged at Kainui Winery, off Kapiro Rd, on February 9-11 and 16-18. The doors and bar open at 6pm; the show at 7pm. Go to www.kerikeritheatrecompany.co.nz for more information.