The press night for Christopher Eccleston’s Macbeth occurred tonight on the main Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage in Stratford-upon-Avon. The event that occurs after the week of previews is the first time that the national press have a chance to review performance of the play.
The play runs until 22nd September and will be broadcasted live on the 11 April 2018 to UK cinema screens. It will be later re-broadcast in Encore screenings both nationally and internationally at dates to follow.
The RSC has also announced that Macbeth and three other plays, Romeo and Juliet and The Merry Wives of Windsor will transfer to Barbican, their London venue from the 15th October 2018 through to 19th January.
Starring in the role of the Lady Macbeth is Niamh Cusack. She last appeared on the RSC stage in 1996 as Rosalind in Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like it and has recently appeared in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time at the National Theatre/West End, and The Winter’s Tale at Shakespeare’s Globe. The play will be directed by Polly Findlay who also directed RSC’s The Alchemist in 2016.
Former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston, known for his television work in The A-Word, Safe House and Our Friends in the North last appeared on stage in 2012 at the National Theatre in Antigone. According to Gregory Doran, the RSC’s Artistic Director, the actor has been keen to play the role of Macbeth for many years. In What’s on Stage article, Doran stated “Christopher Eccleston rang and said ‘I know you’re going through all the plays in the canon when you get to Macbeth can I play him please?’
Tickets for the London run go on sales for the priority booking on the 19th March with general public tickets on the 26th. See the Barbican website for details.
There are some tickets still remaining for the Stratford-Upon-Avon run. See the RSC website for details.
