Conall Morrison directs Macbeth and Silviu Purcarete to direct Ionesco's Macbett
16 March 2007
One company of actors will perform Shakespeare’s Macbeth in repertoire with Tanya Ronder’s new version of Eugene Ionesco’s Macbett in the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. Macbeth previews from 11 April, and Macbett from 25 May 2007.
Macbeth is directed by the award winning Irish director and writer, Conall Morrison, an Associate Artist of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Conall won an Irish Times Theatre Award for best director for his adaptation of Patrick Kavanagh’s Tarry Flynn for the Abbey. (The play later transferred to the National Theatre.) His other productions for the Abbey include: Boucicault’s The Colleen Bawn, The Freedom of the City and As the Beast Sleeps by Gary Mitchell. His has also directed Antigone, Dancing in Lughnasa, Juno and the Paycock and Ghosts for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast and Martin Guerre for Cameron Mackintosh. His own plays include Rough Justice, Hard to Believe and Green, Orange, Pink. He recently directed La Traviata for the ENO at the Coliseum in London.
Macbett is directed by the internationally acclaimed Romanian born Silviu Purcarete who has worked in European Theatre for more than twenty years, most notably for the National Theatre of Craiova, Romania and Theatre Bulandra. His productions have won many awards and great critical acclaim both in Romania and abroad. His work has been seen extensively in the UK and includes The Decameron, Phaedra, Aeschylus’ Les Danaides (Birmingham and Glasgow), Oresteia (Lyric Hammersmith), Ubu Rex (Edinburgh International Festival) and The Tempest (Nottingham Playhouse). In 1996 he became director of the Centre Dramatique National de Limoges. He now lives in Paris where he has his own theatre company. Opera credits include La Boheme (Essen) and Parsifal (Scottish Opera and Welsh National Opera).
Macbeth
By William Shakesepeare
Patrick O’Kane makes his RSC debut playing the title role in Macbeth Patrick’s previous theatre work includes Cold Comfort (Theatre 503), Whistle in the Dark (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester), the title role in Hamlet for the Abbey Theatre (directed by Connall Morrison), Insignificance for Sheffield Theatres (directed by Samuel West), The Postman Always Rings Twice (West Yorkshire Playhouse) Closing Time, Playboy of the Western World, Peer Gynt (title role) and Mercutio in Tim Supple’s Romeo and Juliet (all at the National Theatre). His extensive television roles includes IF, Waking the Dead, The Wayfarer, In Deep and Eastenders.
David Troughton plays Duncan (see Macbett for details).
Derbhle Crotty makes a welcome return to the RSC to play Lady Macbeth. Her previous RSC work includes: Ophelia in Matthew Warchus’ production of Hamlet (1999) and Adrian Noble’s production of Ibsen’s Little Eyolf (1997/8). Amongst her other theatre credits are: The Home Place (Dublin Gate Theatre and Comedy Theatre, London), Dancing at Lughnasa (Dublin Gate Theatre), Sive (Druid Theatre). Derbhle played Portia in Trevor Nunn’s film version of The Merchant of Venice.
Jude Akuwudike plays Banquo. His previous RSC credits include: Brixton Stories, and Moria Buffini’s Luminosity (2001), Cerimon in Pericles and Antigonus in The Winter’s Tale (2002). He recently played Joseph in The Overwhelming for the National Theatre/Out of Joint. His recent television work includes: Silent Witness, Leroy in Bad Girls and Ultimate Force.
Macduff is played by Brian Doherty who recently played Joe Gargery in the RSC’s production of Great Expectations (directed by Declan Donnellan), Willie in Aristocrats for the National Theatre and Jake in Stones in His Pockets at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London’s West End.
The cast also includes Richard Atwill (Menteith), Thane Bettany (Old Man), Sam Cox (Lennox), Ryan Gage (Donalbain), Emmanuel Ighodara (Malcolm), Sean Kearns (Ross), Jason Nwoga (Caithness), Mark Theodore (Bleeding Captain), Joel Trill (Angus), David Troughton (Duncan), Mojisola Adebayo (Witch), Frances Ashman (Witch), Pauline Hutton (Lady Macduff) and Sarah Malin (Witch).
Joining Conall on the creative team are: RSC Associate Designer, Tom Piper (set designer), John O’Clery (costume designer), Ben Ormerod (lighting designer) and Conor Linehan (music).
Macbett
By Eugene Ionesco
English version by Tanya Ronder
Written during the Cold War, Ionesco’s Macbett remoulds Shakespeare’s Macbeth into a furiously comic tale of ambition, corruption, cowardice and excess, creating a tragic farce which takes human folly to its wildest extremes.
Romanian born Eugene Ionesco was one of the most innovative playwrights of the modern stage – a pioneer who revolutionised theatre away from naturalism and towards a heightened imaginative truth which became known as Theatre of the Absurd. He was a member of l’Academie Francaise and winner of the Prix Italia.
Tanya Ronder’s previous adaptations include: Romeo and Juliet (Vestuport Theatre, Young Vic and Playhouse), Blood Wedding (Almeida), and DBC Pierre’s Vernon God Little for the Young Vic. Tanya is also an actress.
David Troughton plays the title role in Macbett. Stratford-upon-Avon based Troughton has extensive RSC credits which include: The title role in Henry IV Part II, Bolingbroke in Richard II (2000), the title role in Richard III (1995/6), Caliban in The Tempest (1993) and Kent in King Lear (1991). He played Homais in the BBC film version of Madame Bovary, and his recent television work includes: Fred in Born and Bred, Paradise Heights, Ted and Alice, King George V in All The King’s Men and Uncle Sid in Cider With Rosie.
Patrick O’Kane plays Duncan (see Macbeth for details).
The cast also includes: Jude Akuwidike (Glamiss), Richard Atwill, Thane Bettany (Malol), Sam Cox (Candor), Brian Doherty, Ryan Gage, Emmanuel Ighodoro, Sean Kearns (Banco), Jason Nwoga, Mark Theodore, Joel Trill, Mojisola Adebayo, Frances Ashman, Derbhle Crotty (Lady Duncan), Patrick O’Kane (Duncan),Pauline Hutton and Sarah Malin (Witch).
Joining Silviu Purcarete on the creative team are: Helmut Sturmer (set and lighting designer), Lia Mantoc (costume designer) and Vasile Sirli (music).
Further information
Macbeth
The Swan Theatre
In repertoire from 11 April – 21 July 2007
Macbett
The Swan Theatre
In repertoire from 25 May – 21 July 2007
Box Office: 0844 800 1110, www.rsc.org.uk
For more information please contact;
Nada Zakula RSC Press Office
01789 412622
nada.zakula@rsc.org.uk
Or
Dean Asker
01789 412660
dean.asker@rsc.org.uk (regional enquiries and press ticket requests).
Notes to Editors:
• Production photographs will be available from www.epo-online.com from 13 April (for Macbeth) and from 29 May (for Macbett).
• Macbeth previews from 11 April (Press Night: 7pm, 17 April, 2007, 7pm).
• Macbett previews from 25 May (Press invited to review from 30 May, 2007)
• The world premiere of The Penelopiad, presented in association with Canada’s National Arts Centre, based on the book The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood will join the repertoire on 27 July. The all female cast includes the female members of the Macbeth/Macbeth company and actors from across Canada. Further details will be announced in separate press release.
