Shakespeare's Globe Announces Full Cast of MACBETH

Shakespeare's Globe has announced the full cast for the 2022 Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank production of Macbeth, directed by Sarah Frankcom. This marks Sarah's directorial return following her tenure as Artistic Director of LAMDA. Macbeth is a full-scale, gripping, 90-minute production in The Globe Theatre created specifically for young people, but is also a perfect introduction to Shakespeare for all ages and stages.

This year marks the 16th anniversary of the Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank project, providing over 20,000 free tickets for students aged 11-16 in state secondary schools in London and Birmingham. Productions exclusively for schools will run from 3-30 March 2022 and public performances from 12 March-16 April 2022.

On a deserted battlefield, in the aftermath of a bloody war, three witches appear to a loyal warrior Macbeth. They tell his fortune and predict his future. This startling encounter unleashes a bloody chain of events that will see him crowned king and use any means necessary to hold on to his power, as the world collapses around him.a??

With thrilling action and chilling supernatural moments in Macbeth's bloody journey from hero to tyrant, applications for free tickets for non-selective state schools in London and Birmingham, and subsidised tickets for other schools are now open and can be submitted here.

Sarah Frankcom was the Artistic Director for the Royal Exchange from 2008 - 2019, most recently winning a Manchester Culture Award 2021. She transformed the Royal Exchange into one of the UK's most vibrant theatres, and during her time the venue received many accolades. It was Regional Theatre of the Year in 2016, and in 2018 alone received a record six nominations in the UK Theatre Awards, winning four of them, including Best Director for Our Town. Previous credits also include Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet (Alan Bennett's Talking Heads, BBC), The Nico Project, The Skriker (Manchester International Festival), Hamlet - stage and film with Maxine Peake, West Side Story, Death of A Salesman, Happy Days, A Streetcar Named Desire (Royal Exchange, Manchester) and The Five Wives of Maurice Pinder (National Theatre).

Director, Sarah Frankcom says: "I'm thrilled to be collaborating with such an exciting cast and creative team to reimagine Macbeth for younger audiences, part of the brilliant initiative 'Playing Shakespeare' supported by Deutsche Bank. As young people continue to ask big questions about their future, I can't think of a better play to explore how personal ambition and the abuse of power can corrupt the individual and destroy nations"

Co-Director of Education, Lucy Cuthbertson says: "Macbeth represents our 16th consecutive Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank production. This incredible project has given so many schools an invaluable way to bring Shakespeare alive for their students. A significant proportion of young people in this country rely entirely on their school for access to the arts. This unique financial support from Deutsche Bank allows us to offer over 20,00 free tickets to students from London & Birmingham state schools and to play our small part in enabling all students to experience a culture rich education. Young people experiencing Shakespeare and, often, theatre for the first time deserve the best so we are absolutely delighted to welcome Sarah Frankcom as this year's director."

Lareena Hilton, Global Head of Brand Communications & CSR at Deutsche Bank says: "For 16 years Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank has been an integral part of our global youth engagement programme Born to Be. With all GCSE students in the UK required to study at least one of Shakespeare's text, it's critical for young people to be able to get to grips with the complex language, characters and themes. To come out of the classroom and be fully immersed in live theatre at the Globe offers students opportunity to experience performances the way Shakespeare wrote his plays for."

To coincide with this year's performances, eligible schools will also receive free workshops for students, free CPD (continuing professional development) for teachers, and award-winning free online resources to support the teaching and studying of Shakespeare plays in the GCSE and A-Level curriculum. This year has already seen over 21,000 students receiving free tickets and over 200 teachers signing up for online and in-person CPD courses.

Playing Shakespeare is supported by Deutsche Bank as part of Born to Be - a youth engagement programme which is committed to helping young people reach their full potential.

The full cast of Macbeth:

Issam Al Ghussain will play Malcolm. Issam is a 2021 graduate of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Macbeth is his professional theatrical debut. Previous TV and film credits include The Beaker Girls (BBC) and Carol Morley's new film Typist Artist Pirate King, featuring Kelly MacDonald and Monica Dolan.

Francesca Amewudah-Rivers will play Witch and Lady Macduff. Previous theatre credits include Antigone (Colchester Mercury Theatre); Family Tree (Young Vic); Othello, Animal Farm and Ordinary Miracle (NYT Rep), Hear Me Now (Theatre503); Random (Tristan Bates Theatre); Run It Back (Talawa Theatre Company) and Drinking Concrete (Royal Court Theatre).

Hannah Azuonye will play Lady Macbeth. Previous theatre credits include: The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency (Cardboard Citizens/Belgrade Theatre); Measure for Measure, The Taming of The Shrew, Though She Be But Little, She Is Fierce (RSC); Girl from the North Country (Old Vic) and Everything That Rises Must Dance (Complicité). TV credits includea??Hannaa??(Amazon/NBC) and Doctors (BBC).

Fiston Barek will play Macbeth. Previous theatre credits include Amsterdam (The Orange Tree Theatre); King Lear - starring Glenda Jackson (The Old Vic), The Rolling Stone (Manchester Royal Exchange/The Orange Tree), Routes, Truth and Reconciliation (The Royal Court); Little Baby Jesus (Oval House) and Love the Sinner Amsterdam (The National Theatre. TV and film credits include Silent Witness, Holby City and Doctors (BBC); After Love (BBC/BFI) and Don't Call Back (Prince's Trust).

Patrick Elue will play Macduff and Bloody Captain. Previous theatre credits include Burgandy, Hamlet (RSC); Our Town (Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre); Spooky Action at a Distance, Killer Joe (Bute Theatre); The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Dying for it and Don Juan Comes Back From The War (Richard Burton Company). Film credits includes The Almond and The Seahorse (Mad As Birds); Cherry (The Hideaway Entertainment); The South Stand (Short Film) and Sea Change (Short Film).

Stacey Evans will play Ross. Previous theatre credits include Finding Nana (New Perspectives); Wolves Are Coming for You (Pentabus); The Phoenix and The Carpet, Shelter (The Nuffield Theatre); Free Folk, Stardust, Anne of Green Gables (Forest Forge); Vernon God Little, All is Bright (Burn Bright Theatre). TV and film credits include Vera (ITV); Cold Feet (ITV/Big Talk); Lee Nelson (BBC/Avalon); Kids In Love (Ealing Studios) and Seat 25 (Red Kite Films).

Aoife Gaston will play Witch. Aoife trained at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, graduating in 2021. Her professional theatrical debut was playing the role of Belle in Mark Gatiss' 2021 adaptation of A Christmas Carol (Nottingham Playhouse/Alexandra Palace Theatre, London). Aoifa was part of the first graduating group from Open Door and previously to this was a member of the National Youth Theatre & The Brit School.

David Hartley will play Banquo. David previously performed at the Globe in Measure for Measure (2005) and Henry VI (2013). Other theatre credits include Macbeth (Royal Exchange Theatre); Home Truths (Cardboard Citizens/Bunker Theatre); The Odyssey: Missing Presumed Dead (ETT); As You Like It, Merlin (Chester Performs); Billy Liar (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Cling to Me Like Ivy (Birmingham Rep); The Tempest (York Theatre Royal/Sprite Productions). TV and Film credits include Call the Midwife, Holby City, Doctor Who (BBC); DCI Banks (ITV); The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (Kudos/BBC Television); Men in Black: International (Rose Line Productions) and Christopher Robin (Disney).

Beth Hinton-Lever will play Witch. Previous theatre credits include A Chorus Line, West Side Story (Curve, Leicester); Maryland, Living Newspaper (Royal Court); Millennials (MTFest/The Turbine Theatre); Dick Whittington, Hadestown (National Theatre); As You Like It (National Theatre/Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch). TV and film credits include Silent Witness (BBC); The Suspect (ITV) and Men in Black: International (Sony Pictures). Beth is the 2021 Evening Standard Future Theatre Fund recipient in Musical Theatre.

Chris Nayak will play Duncan and Lennox. Chris previously performed at the Globe in King Lear (2017), What You Will (2012), and is a Globe Education Practitioner. Previous theatre credits include The Wishing Tree (Little Angel); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre); Love's Labour's Lost, Love's Labour's Won (RSC/West End); A Midsummer Night's Dream, Maydays, Much Ado About Nothing, The Christmas Truce (RSC); There or Here (Park Theatre) and Invasion! (SohoTheatre). TV credits include We Hunt Together (Showtime); The Job Lot, Primeval, Doctors, Judge John Deed (BBC) and Coronation Street (ITV).

This production was cast by Verity Naughton and Nicholas Hockaday for VJN Casting.

Company

Director: Sarah Frankcom
Designer: Rose Revitt
Composer: Zands Duggan and Louise Anna Duggan
Movement Director: Rachel-Leah Hosker
Fight Director: Kevin McCurdy

For more information visit: shakespearesglobe.com

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