ETT Reveals Full Cast and Dates for MACBETH UK and International Tour

ETT (English Touring Theatre) today announces full casting for their new production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a co-production with Northern Stage, Shakespeare North Playhouse and Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg.

In ETT’s first international tour since the pandemic, Macbeth will open at Shakespeare North Playhouse on 6 September 2023, with previews from 1 September, running until 23 September, in a design unique to the Playhouse’s space. The production will then be remounted, opening at Northern Stage to mark the start of the tour, and then travels to New Wolsey Ipswich, Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Dubai Opera House, Cambridge Arts Theatre, The Landmark Theatre Ilfracombe, and in early 2024, to Bristol Old Vic and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford, with further tour dates to be announced. Alongside Macbeth in the autumn, ETT’s critically acclaimed production of I, Daniel Blake will resume its UK tour in September, playing at Stratford East and Edinburgh with further dates to be announced. 

With Mike Noble in the title role and Laura Elsworthy as Lady Macbeth, the cast includes Lola Aluko (Lennox), Jasmine Elcock(Malcolm), Brian Lonsdale (Banquo), Guy Rhys (Macduff), Coral Sinclair (Lady Macduff), Ross Waiton (Duncan) and Leo Wan(Ross).

Richard Twyman, Artistic Director and CEO, and Sophie Scull, Executive Producer of ETT said, “We are delighted to announce the cast for our upcoming production of Macbeth. They are an exceptional ensemble of actors, and we are so looking forward to the creative collaboration with them as we dig into the heart of this seminal play. Macbeth is a story that has seeped into our national consciousness – it’s clearly having a moment – and this production will tour extensively in the UK and internationally, so it felt vital to us that we built a cast and creative team that represented not only the hometowns of our co-producing partners Liverpool and Newcastle, but also the country more widely. We hope that audiences the length and breadth of the country will find something both familiar and provocative in the story and society that unfolds on stage. We can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room with this brilliant company and share what we create together with audiences across the country and the globe.”

Laura Collier, Creative Director of Shakespeare North Playhouse said, “It is such a joy to be co-producing Macbeth with our friends from English Touring Theatre, Northern Stage and Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. ETT’s version of Macbeth is intense and intoxicating, and its complexity and nuance seeks to resonate deeply with modern audiences. We’re so excited to welcome audiences to see this production set against the incredible backdrop of our newly installed Frons Scenae.”

Natalie Ibu, Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive of Northern Stage added, "Our production of Macbeth will be touring extensively across the UK and internationally and I can’t wait to see this extraordinary, and almost entirely Northern and Scottish ensemble, breathe new life into Shakespeare’s timeless tale of obsession and corruption. We know that for many of our audiences this may be their first experience of a live Shakespeare performance and so I’m especially pleased that performers will reflect the diversity of our audiences here in Newcastle."

2023 has been a busy and productive period for ETT, with a highly acclaimed, sell-out tour of I, Daniel Blake, and a new version of The Good Person of Szechwan, commissioned by ETT, in a co-production with Sheffield Crucible and the Lyric Hammersmith. Further programming for the year includes the second series of ETT’s new writing podcast F**ked Up Bedtime Stories (for Adults) with more details revealed for its second season. There will be seven new episodes from writers including Chris Bush, Ella Hickson and Simon Stephens, and performers on the podcast including Maxine Peake, Stephen Mangan and Tamara Lawrance. ETT’s monologue project interrogating the characterisation of mixed-race identity in contemporary Britain, Mixed, continues with writers including Javaad Alipoor and Sabrina Mahfouz. ETT continues the third year of its flagship playwriting programme, Nationwide Voices, in collaboration with three new partner companies: Birmingham Rep, Manchester Royal Exchange and tiata fahodzi. 

An ETT, Northern Stage, Shakespeare North Playhouse and Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg co-production

PERFORMANCE DETAILS: 

MACBETH
By William Shakespeare

Age guidance: suitable for mature 12-year-olds

Director: Richard Twyman; Designer: Basia Bińkowska; Lighting Designer: Azusa Ono;

Sound Designer: Tingying Dong; Casting Director: Lotte Hines; Fight Director: Kevin McCurdy; Projection Designer: Will Duke; Music Consultant: David Colvin; Movement Director: Elinor Randle; Associate Director: Rachael Walsh; Academic and Text Consultant:Emma Whipday

Shakespeare North Playhouse: 1 – 23 September 2023

Press night: 6 September at 7pm

Northern Stage: 27 September – 7 October 2023

New Wolsey Ipswich: 17 – 21 October 2023

Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg: 25 – 28 October 2023

Dubai Opera House: 3 – 5 November 2023

Cambridge Arts Theatre: 8 – 11 November 2023

The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe: 14 – 18 November 2023

Bristol Old Vic: 25 January – 10 February 2024

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford: 20 – 24 February 2024

A struggling and divided nation, tearing itself apart. So, when the Macbeths see their chance at the crown, why shouldn't they take it?

But things don’t go according to plan. Dreams quickly turn to nightmares, humanity erodes, nature stirs. As society strives to make sense of the darkness that sits inside it, how long will it take for people to fight back against the endless cycle of violence and corruption?

A visceral and contemporary new production that speaks to a world we find ourselves living in now, asking why has Macbeth haunted our fears and nightmares for centuries, and what lesson this cautionary tale is still urgently trying to communicate to us? 

About the Cast

Mike Noble plays Macbeth. Theatre credits include Game (Almeida); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (National Theatre); Mudlarks (HighTide/Bush); and Punk Rock (Lyric Hammersmith/Royal Exchange, Manchester). Television work includes Home Fires, Mr Selfridge, Grantchester, and Prisoner’s Wives. Film credits include The Siege of Jadotville, Rules of the Game, Kill Command, Jack Ryan, Jadoo, Private Peaceful, World War Z, and Gambit.

Laura Elsworthy plays Lady Macbeth. Work on stage includes Corrina, Corrina (Headlong/Liverpool Everyman); Romeo & Juliet, Nativity, and Spacewang (Hull Truck Theatre); The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, Miss Littlewood, The Fantastic Follies of Mrs Rich (RSC); The Last Testament of Lilian Bilocca (Hull Truck Theatre and Hull 2017); The Hypocrite (Hull Truck / RSC); The Gap andThe Skriker (Manchester International Festival); Our Town (Almeida Theatre); and The Accrington Pals (Manchester Royal Exchange). Television credits include The Beaker Girls, Vera, Lillian Bilocca, and Doctors. Films include Testament of Youth and Cinderella.

Lola Aluko plays Lennox.  Lola recently graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland this year. Theatre credits includeInteriors (Vanishing Point), Opening Time (A Play, A Pie and A Pint), and Medea (National Theatre of Scotland). Television credits include The Demon Headmaster and The Wedding.

Jasmine Elcock plays Malcolm. A recent graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Jasmine came to international fame at the age of 14 when she auditioned on Britain’s Got Talent. This will be her professional acting debut.

Brian Lonsdale plays Banquo. Theatre work includes Noises Off (Northern Stage); War Horse (West End); Pitmen Painters (Live Theatre Newcastle/National Theatre/New York); Bedroom Farce (West Yorkshire Playhouse); My Romantic History (Live Theatre Newcastle); and Othello (ETT). Television and film credits include Hustle, Doctors, The Other Possibility, Valiant and Goal.

Guy Rhys plays Macduff. Theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing and Rock Paper Scissors (Sheffield Theatres); Not Now Bernard, Grimm’s Tales and Aesop’s Fables (Unicorn Theatre); Mother Courage and her Children (Headlong); and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and Saint Joan (Donmar Warehouse). Television work includes The Witcher: Blood Origins, The Ipcress File, The Crimson Field, Doctors, The Bill, Sorted and Emmerdale Farm. Films include How To Build A Girl, Mary Queen of Scots and The Festival.

Coral Sinclair plays Lady Macduff. Theatre credits include Sleeping Beauty (Shared Experience) and The Secret Garden (York Theatre Royal / Theatre by the Lake).

Ross Waiton plays Duncan. Extensive stage credits include Hamlet (Almeida Theatre); Macbeth (National Theatre tour); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (National/West End); Twelfth Night (ETT/Sheffield Crucible); King Lear, Timon of Athens, The Revenger’s Tragedy, Saint Joan, Much Ado About Nothing and Antigone (National Theatre); The Tempest and As You Like It (Neal Street/BAM/Old Vic); Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (ETT); The Duchess of Malfi, Antony and Cleopatra and Much Ado About Nothing (RSC). Film and television credits include Skyfall, The Devil’s Hour, Luther: The Fallen, Vera, Casualty, Maigret, Grantchester, Beowulf, Pride, EastEnders, and Holby City.

Leo Wan plays Ross. Theatre credits include The Good Person of Szechwan (Sheffield Theatre and Lyric Theatre Hammersmith), ROCK/PAPER/SCISSORS (Sheffield Theatres); The Mirror and the Light (Gielgud Theatre); Miss Julie (Storyhouse Theatre); As You Like It and The Taming of the Shrew (Royal Shakespeare Company); The Great Wave (National Theatre); Shakespeare Within the Abbey, and Sonnet Walks (Shakespeare’s Globe). Television credits include Bridgerton and Crashing.

Richard Twyman took up the role of Artistic Director of ETT in November 2016. He was previously Associate Director (International) at The Royal Court Theatre, where he worked with playwrights across the world to develop their plays. Prior to this, he spent five years at the RSC working on fourteen productions, including the hugely acclaimed Histories Cycle for which he directed Henry IV Pt II, which were honoured with three Olivier Awards, the Evening Standard Editor’s Choice Award and named by The Guardian’s Michael Billington as his production of the decade 2000-2010. Twyman has directed at The Royal Court Theatre, Bush Theatre, Old Vic Tunnels, Theatre Royal Bath and worked alongside Peter Hall on his 80th anniversary production of Twelfth Night at The National Theatre. For The Royal Court Theatre, Twyman has directed You for Me for You by Mia Chung, Torn by Nat Martello-White, Harrogate by Al Smith and The Djinns of Eidgah by Abhishek Majumdar. His other credits include Ditch by Beth Steel, which opened the Old Vic Tunnels; Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Christopher Hampton at Theatre Cocoon, Tokyo/Osaka; Deliver Us by Anna Leader at Théâtres De La Ville Luxembourg; Give Me Your Hand (New York), nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Experience in 2012. For ETT, he has directed Martin Crimp’s Dealing with Clair at the Orange Tree Theatre and the critically acclaimed production ofOthello, which toured the UK and internationally from 2017-2019. 

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