After 3 years of absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Actors From The London Stage (AFTLS), one of the oldest Shakespeare theater groups, has returned to DePauw to perform “Macbeth.”

DePauw and the Actors From The London Stage have been partnering with each other for close to 30 years. They first came to campus in 1933 under Professor Andrea Sununu’s arrangement, and they have been coming to our campus biannually. The last time they were at DePauw was 2019 when they performed “Twelfth Night,” a romantic comedy about mistaken identities and practical jokes, at Moore Theatre.

The AFTLS is a self-directed group of five individuals. Their mission is simplicity at its finest. Five actors direct themselves in a performance of a complete Shakespeare play with minimal props and basic production; each of them portrays multiple roles, and, most importantly, they never leave the stage. The shift in characters happens swiftly while on stage, providing the audience with an intriguing and distinctive look into the actors’ talent 

AFTLS is currently at Notre Dame University but will arrive on campus on Oct. 10 and stay until Oct. 14. They will perform “Macbeth” at DePauw University’s Moore Theater Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The tragedy tells the story of Macbeth who, after killing King Duncan to take on the Scottish throne, becomes consumed by his own political ambition and guilt. 

During their residency week, they will also be visiting 10 classes to talk about their performing experiences and will also hold an open workshop for DePauw theater organization Duzer Du and another workshop for teens organized by Putnam Playhouse, the local community theater.

The performance is free and open to the public, so don’t miss out on this opportunity!