Macbeth

If *Macbeth* is not the best play ever written, it is certainly one of the most frequently performed. Shakespeare’s tragedy explores the corruption of power and its terrifying consequences, both political and personal. But although the themes are profound and complex, the form is highly entertaining: it is a thriller, a war story, a romance, a nightmare, a horror story and a highly evocative portrayal of the supernatural. The witches hover over this play as demons and restorers of the natural order, seeking to destroy Macbeth and his murderous Lady. The evil unleashed by the royal couple falls back upon them. Through Shakespeare’s incomparable poetry, the audience witnesses the collapse of raw ambition into tormented self-doubt and ultimate madness.

Paul Stebbings’ production was the TNT Ensemble’s first Shakespeare production. The production was so successful that it has been revived continuously since 2001 and has been performed in over forty countries across four continents. It is probably the most frequently staged production of MACBETH this century.