Host/Producer Dmae Roberts recently took another trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. She highly recommends “Throne of Blood”, adapted by noted theatre director Ping Chong from the classic film by Akira Kurosawa. This multimedia play features and a stellar cast and talented designers. “Throne of Blood” performs at breakneck pace complete with video projections and Kabuki and Noh movement. It’s just under two hours without intermission. The show also runs until October 31st.

Ako as Lady Asaji & Kevin Kenerly as Washizu Photo:OSF

“Throne of Blood” stays true to Kurosawa’s frightening tale adapted from Shakespeare’s Macbeth with themes of murder, war, and madness. The standout performance for me came from Japanese-American actress Ako who is trained in Kabuki theatre. She played Lady Asaji, based on the Lady Macbeth character. Her portrayal of Lady Asaji is a masterful study of a calculating and ruthless woman. In this interview, she tells us how she handles this role with very few scenes and artful movement.

Dmae talks with Ako in this podcast, with music by veteran OSF composer Todd Barton. Click here for more information about the rest of the season, which runs until October 31st.