Iris Theatre's Open-Air Production of MACBETH Begins at Covent Garden

Iris Theatre's 10th-anniversary immersive production of Macbeth stars David Hywel Baynes, who has returned from the US following his Best Actor Offie Award-nominated tour-de-force as King Richard in Richard III, also for Iris Theatre.

MacBeth By William Shakespeare, directed by Daniel Winder, will run tonight 21 June - Saturday 29 July. Press Night is Wednesday 28 June at 7.30pm.

Completing the summer season of promenade open-air theatre with casting still to be announced, Hansel & Gretel and the Witch Baba Yaga by Daniel Winder, directed by Amy Draper, will run Thursday 3 August - Sunday 3 September. Press Night is Tuesday 8 August at 7.00pm.

ABOUT THE MACBETH CAST:

David Hywel Baynes (Macbeth/Rebel Soldier). Previous theatre includes: Caliban in The Tempest (Ophelia Theatre Group); The Dauphin, Henry V (Globe); Bolt, Pericles (Savannah Music Festival); Richard, Richard III (Offie nomination for Best Actor), Queen of Hearts and March Hare, Alice in Wonderland, Brutus, Julius Caesar, Puck, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Chief Weasel, The Wind in the Willows (Iris Theatre at St Paul's Church). David is also founder and artistic director for the recently formed New York Shakespeare Company.

Stephan Boyce (Duncan & Seyton/Porter & Padock & Apparitions). Theatre includes: Romeo & Juliet (Reading Between The Lines Theatre Company, Salisbury Playhouse); Titus Andronicus (The Malachite Theatre Company); Thirst (Brightlights
Production Company).

Jenny Horsthuis (Malcolm & Lady Macduff & Second Witch). Theatre includes: Mr Kolpert, Olga, Othello, The Cherry Orchard, The Taming of The Shrew, Pressure Drop, Summer Brave,The Baden-Baden Lesson on Consent, The Permanent Way (East 15).

Nick Howard-Brown (Banquo & Captain & Apparitions). Theatre includes: Much Ado About Nothing, Treasure Island, Twelfth Night, Pinocchio, Julius Caesar, Richard III, Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass (Iris); The Merchant of
Venice (The Globe); Hamlet (Tivoli Theatre).

Linford Johnson (Ross/1st Witch). Theatre includes: Show Boat (New London); War Horse (UK, Ireland, South Africa tour); Hair (Hope Mill Theatre); Alice's Adventures Underground (Waterloo Vaults).

Mogali Masuku (Lady Macbeth & Macduff's Son & Captain's Son & Fleance & Third Witch). This is Mogali's professional debut.

Matt Stubbs (Macduff & Murderer & Harpier & Apparitions). Theatre includes: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Stafford Castle); Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth (Page2Stage Productions); Love In The Wood (Theatre Royal Haymarket).

Macbeth Creative Team: Director Daniel Winder. Set Designer Alice Channon. Costume Designer Anna Sances. Fight Director Roger Bartlett. Lighting Designer Benjamin Polya. Sound Designer and Composer Filipe Gomes. Movement Elissa Aravidou. Witches Choreographer Lina Johansson.

Artistic director Daniel Winder opens the 2017 season by directing Shakespeare's Macbeth, a terrifying journey into the mind of a murderer. This production will weave its way around the grounds of St Paul's Church; reflecting the play's journey into the twisted mental landscape of Macbeth as he rises to be king.

Returning to Iris Theatre after three years, David Hywel Baynes takes on the title role, following his critically-acclaimed and Offie-nominated performance in the Iris production of Richard III. David said: "Getting the chance to come back and work on my favourite play with the Iris family was a no-brainer. The environment surrounding Iris during the summer season is like no other. And it's truly an honour to be back in London with them as they celebrate their 10th anniversary. May there be many more to come!"

Winder has also penned the family show, a new adaptation of Hansel & Gretel and the Witch Baba Yaga. Featuring a life-size, edible gingerbread house, this production will follow Hansel and Gretel as they travel deeper and deeper into a dark, forbidding forest. Offie-nominated for her production of Much Ado About Nothing last year, Amy Draper returns to direct.

Winder said: "This anniversary year promises to be full of witches and wonder, magic and mayhem. Working across the two shows, as writer of one and director of the other, will mean digging deep into the morally ambiguous world of witches; agents of female power pushed to the boundaries of a patriarchal world."

2016's summer season saw almost 8,000 audience members experience Much Ado About Nothing and Treasure Island - which included a full-size galleon that held the entire audience. Working closely with Mousetrap Theatre Projects to widen access to the theatre, Iris also provided placements in design, producing and technical to a host of students studying theatre around the country, with a particular emphasis on female technicians and producers. The 2016 summer repertory season was nominated for five Offies, including Treasure Island which won Best for Production for Young People.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Iris is a dynamic theatre company based at the world-famous St. Paul's Church in Covent Garden. The company, established in 2007 by Artistic Director Daniel Winder, has a reputation for producing vibrant and accessible site-specic and outdoor theatre, alongside a growing new musical theatre strand. Iris gained full charity status in 2009 with a mission to support the development of the next generation of professional theatre practitioners. This year Iris will also produce The Odyssey, directed by Phil Wilmott, for Gods and Monsters Theatre at The Scoop on the South Bank.

IF YOU GO:

Iris Theatre presents
MACBETH
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Daniel Winder

At St Paul's Church, Bedford St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9ED

21 June - 29 July
Previews: 21- 27 June
Press Night: 28 June at 7.30pm

Evening performances at at 7:30pm; matinees, 2:30pm
Running time: 2 hours + interval

TICKETS: £18 Full Price (£14 concs.)
Tickets available online at www.iristheatre.com.

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