''Macbeth'' is a 1979 videotaped version of
Trevor Nunn's
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...
production
of the play by
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
. Produced by
Thames Television, it features
Ian McKellen as
Macbeth
''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...
and
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...
as
Lady Macbeth. The TV version was directed by Philip Casson.
Description and background
The original stage production was performed at
The Other Place, the RSC's small
studio theatre
A black box theater is a performance space, typically a square or rectangular room, with black walls and a black, flat floor. The simplicity of the space allows it to be used to create a variety of configurations of stage and audience interact ...
in
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon ( ), commonly known as Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon (district), Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands region of Engl ...
. It had been performed
in the round before small audiences, with a bare stage and simple costuming. The recording preserves this style: the actors perform on a circular set and with a mostly black background; changes of setting are indicated only by lighting changes.
During the scene of the ghost, Macbeth "ha
a
seizure
A seizure is a sudden, brief disruption of brain activity caused by abnormal, excessive, or synchronous neuronal firing. Depending on the regions of the brain involved, seizures can lead to changes in movement, sensation, behavior, awareness, o ...
" in this version of the play.
Reception
"Ian McKellen's tortured Macbeth and Judi Dench's commanding, intelligent Lady Macbeth were powerful as individual performances, and the relationship between them was urgent and intense", noted Alexander Leggatt. The staging is described as "stark and empty".
Cast
*
Ian McKellen as
Macbeth
''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...
*
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...
as
Lady Macbeth
*
John Bown as Lennox
*
Susan Dury as 3rd Witch /
Lady Macduff
*
Judith Harte as 2nd Witch / Gentlewoman
*
Greg Hicks as
Donalbain / Seyton
*
David Howey as Sergeant / 1st Murderer / Doctor
*
Griffith Jones as
Duncan
*
Marie Kean as 1st Witch
*
Ian McDiarmid as The Porter / Ross
*
Bob Peck as
Macduff
*
Duncan Preston as Angus
*
Roger Rees as
Malcolm
*Zak Taylor as Fleance / Messenger
*Stephen Warner as Young Macduff
*
John Woodvine as
Banquo
References
External links
*
1979 television plays
Films based on Macbeth
British television films
Television shows based on Macbeth
{{UK-tv-film-stub