Cush Jumbo Joins David Tennant in MACBETH at Donmar Warehouse

As public booking for the production opens, Artistic Director Michael Longhurst and Executive Director Henny Finch have announced that Cush Jumbo will play Lady Macbeth opposite David Tennant's Macbeth. Associate Director of the Donmar, Max Webster's production opens on 15 December, with previews from 8 December, and runs until 10 February 2024.

Max Webster said today "I'm so thrilled that Cush Jumbo will be returning to the Donmar after her extraordinary performance as Mark Antony in the Shakespeare Trilogy to take on the role of Lady Macbeth. I first saw Cush on stage as the most brilliant Rosalind over ten years ago at the Royal Exchange in Manchester and have consistently been moved and surprised at her performances on stage and screen ever since. I think she will bring power, emotion and great humanity to this iconic role and will be absolutely electric alongside David Tennant. I can't wait to start rehearsals."

A spellbinding story of love and murder, the renewing power of nature, and of the internal struggles of a damaged man as he tries to control his destiny. This bracingly fresh production of the Scottish play places us inside the mind of Macbeth, asking are we ever really responsible for our actions?

Shakespeare's most extraordinary psychological drama is led at the Donmar this winter by David Tennant, who plays the title role for the first time in his illustrious stage career. He is joined by Cush Jumbo (Hamlet, The Good Fight) as Lady Macbeth, directed by Donmar Associate Director Max Webster (Henry V, Life of Pi).

Cush Jumbo returns to The Donmar Warehouse to play Lady Macbeth - she previously appeared in Julius Caesar (also St Ann's Warehouse, New York). Her other theatre includes Hamlet (Young Vic), Common, She Stoops to Conquer (National Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare in the Park, New York), The River (Broadway), Fred's Diner (Chichester Festival Theatre), Pygmalion - Ian Charleson Award nomination, A Doll's House, As You Like It (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester), An Argument About Sex (Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh), Liquid Gold (Almeida Theatre), Brixton Stories (Lyric Hammersmith), and Love's Labour's Lost (Shakespeare's Globe). As writer/performer, her theatre work includes, Josephine and I (Bush Theatre/Public Theater, New York); and as writer, The Accordion Shop (National Theatre Connections). Her television work includes Criminal Record, Balestra, Stay Close, The Beast Must Die, Deadwater Fell, The Good Fight, Trying, The Good Wife, Vera, Getting On, Lip Service, Torchwood, and Harley Street; and for film, The Postcard Killings, City of Tiny Lights, Remainder, and The Inbetweeners.

David Tennant returns to the Donmar to play Macbeth - he previously appeared in Lobby Hero (Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor). His other theatre credits include Good (Harold Pinter Theatre, Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor); Don Juan in Soho (Wyndham's Theatre, winner of WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor); Much Ado About Nothing (Wyndham's Theatre); Richard II (RSC/Barbican/BAM, winner of WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor); Hamlet (winner of Critics Circle Award for Best Shakespearean Performance); Love's Labour's Lost; Romeo and Juliet; Comedy of Errors; The Rivals; As You Like It; The Herbal Bed; The General from America (RSC); Look Back in Anger (Royal Lyceum Edinburgh/Theatre Royal Bath, CATS Award); The Pillowman; What the Butler Saw (National Theatre); Push Up (Royal Court); Comedians (Exeter/Oxford); King Lear; An Experienced Woman Gives Advice (Royal Exchange Theatre); Vassa (Albery); The Real Inspector Hound/Black Comedy (Comedy Theatre); Hurlyburly (Queen's Theatre); Long Day's Journey into Night; The Glass Menagerie (Dundee Rep). TV includes Doctor Who (BAFTA Wales Best Actor, TV Times award, four National Television Awards and three TV Choice awards for Best Actor); Des (International Emmy Award for Best Actor, Broadcasting Press Guild Award for best actor, and National Television Award, Most Popular Drama Performance); Litvenenko; Good Omens; Inside Man; Staged; Around the World in 80 Days; Criminal; Deadwater Fell; There She Goes; Jessica Jones; Camping; Broadchurch (three TV Choice awards for best actor, Crime Writers Association award for Best Actor); W1A; Gracepoint (People's Choice Award); The Escape Artist (BAFTA Scotland Award); The Politician's Husband; Spies of Warsaw; Playhouse Presents: The Minor Character; True Love; Twenty Twelve; This is Jinsy; United; Single Father (TV Choice Award for Best Actor); The Sarah Jane Adventures; Hamlet; The Catherine Tate Show; Einstein and Eddington; Extras; Learners; Recovery (Royal Television Society Award nomination for Best Actor); The Chatterley Affair; Secret Smile; The Quatermass Experiment; Casanova; Blackpool; He Knew He Was Right; Terri McIntyre; Posh Nosh; Trust; Foyle's War; People Like Us; Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased); The Mrs Bradley Mysteries; Love in the 21st Century; Duck Patrol; The Tales of Para Handy; Dramarama; Rab C Nesbitt; Takin' Over the Asylum; and for film, Mary Queen of Scots; Bad Samaritan; You, Me & Him; Mad to Be Normal; What We Did on Our Holiday; Fright Night; The Decoy Bride; Glorious 39; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; Bright Young Things; Being Considered; The Last September; LA Without A Map; Jude.

Max Webster is an Associate Director at The Donmar Warehouse where he has directed Henry V. Max's other work as a theatre director includes Life of Pi (Sheffield Crucible/West End/Boston/Broadway, Olivier Award nomination for Best Director); Antigone; As You Like It; Twelfth Night (Regent's Park Open Air); The Lorax (The Old Vic/Children's Theatre, Minneapolis/Old Globe, San Diego), Fanny and Alexander and Cover My Tracks (The Old Vic), The Sea of Fertility and Mary Stuart (Parco, Japan), The Jungle Book and King Lear (Royal & Derngate, Northampton/UK Tour), The Winter's Tale (Lyceum, Edinburgh), The Twits (Curve, Leicester), Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare's Globe/World Tour), James and the Giant Peach and My Generation (WYP), Orlando, To Kill a Mockingbird and My Young and Foolish Heart (Royal Exchange, Manchester), The Chalk Circle (Aarohan Theatre, Kathmandu) and Carnival Under the Rainbow and Feast Kakulu (Hilton Arts Festival, South Africa). Film Credits include The Lorax: In Camera (Old Vic) and How the Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical (Sky Arts/NBC). Opera credits include La Bohème (Goteborg Opera, Sweden) and The Merry Widow (ENO). Nominated for the Olivier Award, Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Director.

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