Digital Theatre Announces Release of Morrissey-led MACBETH

Digital Theatre today announces William Shakespeare's Macbeth as its latest release available to watch online or download to the desktop.  The Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse production starred David Morrissey in the title role and was directed by Gemma Bodinetz.  Macbeth is now available at www.digitaltheatre.com.

Digital Theatre Co-Founder/CEO Robert Delamere said:  "We are delighted to be able to bring this production of Shakespeare's play to a wider international audience and establish an exciting new partnership with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse.  Macbeth enjoyed a sell out run in Liverpool and we are thrilled to be able to bring this celebrated production to screens across the world."

Tom Shaw, Digital Theatre's Co-Founder/Executive Producer, said:  "To accompany our film and available at www.digitaltheatreplus.com will be educational resource packs for Macbeth enabling students and teachers access to a wealth of exclusive material about the production.  Through our work, Digital Theatre continues to makes accessible an increasing range of engaging, top quality British theatre and to that end we hope to play a small part in inspiring the next generation of theatregoers and theatre makers."

Macbeth, directed by Gemma Bodinetz, Artistic Director of Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, has designs by Francis O'Connor, music by Peter Coyte, lighting by Colin Grenfell and sound by Fergus O'Hare.   Bodinetz's production of Macbeth was the final production presented at the Everyman prior to its current closure for redevelopment.

Macbeth's desire to gain power and keep it at all costs threatens to destroy a nation, replacing dignity and rules of law with guilt and paranoia.

The cast comprises Mark Arends, Richard Bremmer, Ken Bradshaw, Neil Caple, Matthew Flynn, Julia Ford, Gillian Kearney, Syrus Lowe, Gavin Marshall, Shaun Mason, Nathan McMullen, David Morrissey and Eileen O'Brien.

David Morrissey's theatre credits include In a Dark Dark House at The Almeida Theatre, Three Days of Rain at the Donmar Warehouse, Much Ado About Nothing at the Queen's Theatre, Peer Gynt at The National Theatre as well as King John, Richard III and Edward IV all for the Royal Shakespeare Company and El Cid and Twelfth Nightfor Cheek by Jowl.  His extensive television credits include Field of Blood, South Riding, Doctor Who, State of Play, Cape Wrath, Ripley's Gold, Blackpool, Our Mutual Friend, and Gordon Brown in Peter Morgan's The Deal.  His film credits include Earthbound, Blitz, Nowhere Boy, Mrs Mandela, The Other Boleyn Girl, Captain Correlli's Mandolin, Hilary and Jackie, The One That Got Away and Being Human. 

Gemma Bodinetz took up her post as Artistic Director for the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse in September 2003.  Since then she has directed Macbeth, The Kindness of Strangers, The Mayor of Zalamea and Intemperanceat the Everyman; Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? No Wise Men, The Lady of Leisure,All My Sons, Tartuffe and The Hypochondriac at The Playhouse and Yellowman on tour.  She previously worked at The Royal Court Theatre, the Bush, West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Royal Shakespeare Company and was an Associate Director at Hampstead Theatre.

The Everyman was established in 1964 in what had originally been built as a chapel in 1834 in an area of Liverpool noted for its bohemian environment and political edge. In the decades since, the Everyman has attracted a succession of visionary directors, exciting writers, and bold young acting companies and in July 2011 the Everyman closed for a £28m redevelopment to create a New Everyman for everyone, ensuring a theatre fit for the 21st century and for future generations of actors, writers, directors and audiences.

Robert Delamere and Tom Shaw launched Digital Theatre in 2009 and have recently celebrated the Company's second birthday.   In that time the site has visits from over 145 countries worldwide.  With the support of Equity, BECTU and the Musicians Union, Digital Theatre produces theatre productions filmed in front of live audiences and are available to rent and stream online or purchase and download from www.digitaltheatre.com.    Digital Theatre Plus is a unique online learning resource designed to deliver quality productions to schools, universities and libraries.  Bringing together the current production catalogue available through the Digital Theatre website, the resource also includes behind-the-scenes documentaries and graphic learning resources, enriching students' cultural experience whilst facilitating the study of English, Drama and Theatre Studies.  www.digitaltheatreplus.com

Digital Theatre's partner theatres are the Almeida Theatre Company, the Bush Theatre, English Touring Theatre, the Gate Theatre, Notting Hill, the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre, the Royal Exchange Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Young Vic.  

CATALOGUE OF DIGITAL THEATRE PRODUCTIONS

The Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse critically acclaimed production of Macbeth starringDavid Morrissey, directed by Gemma Bodinetz.

The sell-out West End production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons opened at the Apollo Theatre in 2010 with a cast led by David Suchet and Zoe Wanamaker, directed by Howard Davies.

The Olivier Award winning Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine'sInto The Woods, directed by Timothy Sheader and Liam Steel.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's As You Like It, directed by Artistic Director Michael Boyd, which enjoyed sell out seasons in Stratford-upon-Avon, at the Roundhouse and in New York.

English Touring Theatre's Far From The Madding Crowd, an adaptation by Mark Healy from Thomas Hardy, directed by Kate Saxon with a cast including Rebecca O'Mara, Phil Cheadle and Stephen Billington.

The Container, presented in association with The Young Vic and Amnesty International, highlighting the plight of illegal immigrants coming to the UK, written by Clare Bayley, directed by Tom Wright, designed by Naomi Dawson.

Jez Butterworth's Laurence Oliver Award nominated Parlour Song, directed by Ian Rickson at The Almeida Theatre with a cast comprising Amanda Drew, Andrew Lincoln and Toby Jones. 

Kathryn Hunter's acclaimed one woman show Kafka's Monkey by Franz Kafka, in an adaptation by Colin Teevan, directed by Walter Meierjohann, which enjoyed two sell-out season at the Young Vic.

Mark Ravenhill's Over There, part of The Royal Court Theatre's 2009 Off The Wall season, written by Mark Ravenhill and directed by Ravenhill and Ramin Gray, with a cast of twin brothers Harry Treadaway and Luke Treadaway. 

The Royal Shakespeare Company and Told by an Idiot's The Comedy of Errors, created for schools and family audiences, directed by Paul Hunter. In addition Digital Theatre offer a behind the scenes documentary to download.