“Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse/The curtained sleep.”:
The Self-Inflicted Decay of a Lawless Power
This August, the atmosphere at Soulton Hall shifts from sanctuary to shadow.
In a striking theatrical event, The Whole Pack, a daring all-female ensemble, brings a visceral folk-horror interpretation of Macbeth to a landscape that has watched centuries of history unfold.
Macbeth at Soulton Hall Brought By The Whole Pack Theatre
Click through for the ticket link here.
The Performance
Shakespeare meets folk horror in this tale of ambition, prophecy, and the corrosive effects of power.
This production strips the “Scottish Play” to its blood-stained bones, exploring what happens when the bonds of a mutual society are traded for the sake of a solitary crown.
As the prophecy takes hold:
“It will have blood, they say; blood will have blood.”
The Story: A Breakdown of Trust
The play opens in the aftermath of a bloody uprising. Macbeth, a heroic victor, has crushed a rebellion to secure the peace. But the “worthy gentleman” soon discovers that greed is a poison.
Looking toward the mist of Soulton Wood will conjure the energy of Birnam Wood; in the shifting shadows, the ally of the trees is your only comfort—until the wood itself begins to move.
Spurred by a dark prophecy, he abandons the strength of mutual protection and shared values. As he chooses a path of blood, we witness the terrifying reality of a world where the ties that bind a community are severed. It is a visceral reminder that when a society breaks down under the weight of individual greed, the only harvest is shadow and fear.
The Setting: The Ancient Watch of Soulton Wood
Soulton Hall provides a hauntingly perfect backdrop for this exploration of fate. For this performance, the audience looks toward the deep, shadowed expanse of Soulton Wood.
As the light fades, the trees carry the heavy, ancient energy of Birnam Wood, where nature and the supernatural collide.
This landscape was shaped in the 1500s by Sir Rowland Hill—a “virtuous survivor” of a dangerous age who understood that a nation’s soul is found in its mutual care for one another.
In the gathering dusk, the silence of the grounds becomes a watchful presence. As the sun sets, the line between the physical world and the world of the Weird Sisters thins, making the ancient soil of Soulton a silent participant in this tale of “foul and fair.”
A breakdown of mutual trust: witness the corrosive effects of greed as Lady Macbeth brings her relentless ambition to Soulton with The Whole Pack Theatre—a sinister capper to a crown won through the abuse of the common wealth. (image: British Touring Shakespare, Frankenstine, 2024)
About the Company
The Whole Pack is an all-female Shakespeare company bringing something daring and different to the stage. By stripping away traditional casting, they breathe new intensity into the classics, proving that the corrosive effects of power are a universal human struggle.
Whole Pack Theatre at Soulton Hall, 2025
Reviews of Previous Productions:
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“The love of Shakespeare’s language is apparent in its delivery… This company have great promise, and a close eye should be kept on their future work.” — Caroline Worswick, North West End Theatre
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“It’s colourful, full of humour and very beautiful: one of those rare shows in which it was quite difficult not to smile with pleasure throughout.” — Susan Elkin
Event Details
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Date: Saturday, 29th August
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Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
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Location: Soulton Hall, B5065, Wem, SY4 5RS
Join us as we reactivate the historic landscape of Soulton Wood with a story of ambition and the enduring power of the wild.
