Full Cast Announced For Branagh-Led MACBETH At Manchester International Festival

The full cast is announced today for this interpretation of Shakespeare's tragedy at Manchester International Festival 2013. Alongside Kenneth Branagh in the title role and Alex Kingston as Lady Macbeth, former Royal Shakespeare Company members Jimmy Yuill and John Shrapnel will play Banquo and Duncan.

Alexander Vlahos (Mordred in BBC's Merlin) will play Malcolm, Norman Bowman (Finding Neverland; Guys & Dolls West End) will play Ross, Ray Fearon (Coronation Street; RSC Othello) will play Macduff and Rosalie Craig (NT Shed Table; Finding Neverland) will play Lady Macduff.

The weird sisters will be played by Laura Elsworthy (The Kitchen Sink), Anjana Vasan (RSC Much Ado About Nothing) and Charlie Cameron (The Addicted).

The cast also includes: Andy Apollo, David Annen, Elliot Balchin, Nari Blair, Steven Cree, Jordan Dean, Patrick Neil Doyle, Pip Pearce, Cody Green, Daniel Ings, Harry Lister-Smith, Stuart Neal, Harry Polden, Dominic Thorburn,Katie West and Benny Young.

Kenneth Branagh has long been lauded as one of the great Shakespearean interpreters. His skills as a writer, director and actor have garnered international acclaim across the disciplines of stage, film and television, and he has been nominated in five different categories for an Academy Award. Branagh last performed Shakespeare when he played Richard III at the Sheffield Crucible in 2002. His recent stage performances as Edmund at The National Theatre and Ivanov for the Donmar played to great acclaim. In 2011, Branagh completed a sell-out run of the hit comedy The Painkiller at the Lyric Theatre in his native Belfast.

Alex Kingston will play Lady Macbeth. Kingston has won critical acclaim for her numerous television roles including Dr. Elizabeth Corday in ER and River Song in Doctor Who. A former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing in Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear and Love's Labours Lost amongst others, Kingston was recently seen on the London stage in the sold out Luise Miller at the Donmar Warehouse. In 2006 she played Nurse Ratched in the West End production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, starring Christian Slater. Recent feature film credits include Sweetland opposite Alan Cummings and Alpha Dog, starring Justin Timberlake.

Rob Ashford has directed and choreographed productions on both sides of the Atlantic, from collaborations with the Donmar Warehouse and National Theatre to major Broadway productions. Ashford has a string of nominations and awards to his name which include: an Olivier Award for Anna Christie, with nominations for A Streetcar Named Desire and Parade (Donmar Warehouse), and a Tony Award for Thoroughly Modern Millie, with nominations for productions including Evita and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He also won an Emmy Award for his choreography at the 81st Academy Awards.

MIF is delighted to offer another chance to see Macbeth via a one-off live relay on a big screen in central Manchester on Saturday 20 July at 8.30pm. This will be an open air event; picnics, blankets and cushions are welcome.

This production of Macbeth is commissioned and produced by Manchester International Festival.

Manchester International Festival 2013 will run from Thursday 4 July - Sunday 21 July 2013. Register for updates at www.mif.co.uk

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