―Please tell us your thoughts around this new production Macbeth. How did you feel when you were commissioned for the world premiere ballet, and how did it actually start？

I think it is a long history, I have to tell. It began as Miyako Yoshida was given a piece of music by the Scottish composer Geraldine Mucha by Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado. Miyako called me and said "I love this music. What do you think? Can't we make a ballet?" I listened to the music and found it quite interesting. Since it was not enough music, originally it was only 15 to 20 minutes, I talked to the conductor, Martin Yates. We sat down and started to put together the whole score alive. Since the composer had already passed away, we asked her son John for a permission to arrange it and use the short piano version as well to create the music for "Macbeth". This is how it started and now I am here!

In fact, every time I see "Macbeth" on stage, I associate it with Japan. This is because I first saw the film by Akira Kurosawa "Throne of Blood" which was based on "Macbeth", I believe it was the replay of the film made in 1957. Then I became interested in Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and saw the play. I know that outstanding directors such as Yukio Ninagawa and the Coen Brothers were working on the same story, but I am not going to watch their works.

―What are your thoughts on visualizing Shakespeare's lines?
In Macbeth, the witches' prophecies are also important, and there are several lines which are so well known.

The problem to make the play for ballet is that we put it on the stage without talking, no speech. Shakespeare has a lot of long lines, so I had to find out how to express them through ballet. I discussed with Mr.Yates how to tell the whole story. I wanted the story to be Macbeth not to do something different,,,faithful to the story as I can be. But I can't have everyone in the play so I had to cut some characters who had only few words.

On the other hand, people feel they know the famous classic stories, but they can't really remember the details. What is the name of King Lear's daughters? How many people can tell their names right away? In the original story of Romeo and Juliet, there is a huge amazing speech by Mercutio, but in Prokofiev's music it is cut so there is no ballet. We can't put all the elements in the ballet. You have to make decisions.
About the witches and their power. I have done something as in the opera of Macbeth, Verdi used a huge chorus in the scene of the Three Witches, so I did it with the corps de ballet. A witch in the centre and the spirit-like beings around, collectively showing the enormous power of the witches.
The words written by Shakespeare are the very best, and although we cannot accomplish the heights of Shakespeare in terms of language, we would like to show the extraordinary drama through the physical expression which comes out of the music and art. Together with Colin Richmond (designer) and Satoshi Sato (lighting designer), the professional technical staff of NNTT are working hard to bring something that exciting and dramatic to the stage.

―What do you think will be the most important element in your production?

―The program of the "Shakespeare Double Bill" also includes Ashton's The Dream (based on a play A Mid-Summer Night's Dream).

I love The Dream. Ashton is a real genius. So light, beautiful, funny and full of playfulness. We can see a lot of the positive side of the human being in this play.
Macbeth, on the other side, it tells you that in life your action will catch up with you and you can't escape. Once you listen to the devil's whisper there is no way out. 2 works, it is a nice contrast.

Both productions depict the lovers. The Dream describes a typical stupid behavior of the lovers. In Macbeth you see a quite intensive relationship and the emotions such as ambition and jealously. We all recognize those human natures but some pretend as if they had never experienced those feelings. Macbeth kills King Duncan for his love to his wife and once he kills someone he cannot go back. It just goes on and cannot run away.

―What is your impression of the dancers of the National Ballet of Japan? How did you decide the cast?

I asked almost everyone possible. I asked Director Miyako Yoshida a lot about what roles she has cast, what kind of experiences the dancers have had so far. I also asked all the colleagues in UK who knew the NBJ. I collected as much information as I could in advance!
The important thing in casting was whether they can express the inner world of the character with deep understanding. Age is also important particularly in a story like this. Now I rehearsed with the dancers for about a week*. This week has been incredibly exciting.

Yudai Fukuoka is a really gifted performer and a dancer with a deep understanding. He is so interesting. Yui Yonezawa and Ayako Ono will play Lady Macbeth, and they are so different, but they are both such gorgeous dancers and can show their own views of Lady Macbeth with their high abilities. I do not make up steps before going into the studio. I choreograph with those people. As I meet the dancers I start to find out very quickly how their rhythms work, what kind of movements and acting they are good at. My idea comes to take shape after I meet them. So if I come back again it might be different.

From the rehearsals of "Macbeth"

―Mr. Tuckett your career is not limited to ballet, and you have done a lot of theatre works, cross-genre works from various genres.

Yes, I have done operas, ballets, things with texts. Some people don't like to cross the genres, but I am quite interested in integrating different things. I also like to work like, just ballet, or just drama. It is nice to use what I learn from different fields, because dancers, singers, and actors they are so different. I think that is my strength.
I love music very much and ballet is strongly connected with music. I am very excited that we can present the powerful ballet music in this production. Macbeth is one of the most compelling theatrical productions of our time. Horrible things, witch prophecies, passionate love, the most horrible killing. The message is beyond the cultures and times.

*The interview took place in February 2023.