Macbeth: William ShakespeareRSC at The Other Place, Stratford Upon Avon until 06 December 2025, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: Roderick Dungate. AD Performance 01 November 2025

Photo Credit: Helen Murray.

Macbeth: William Shakespeare

RSC at The Other Place, Stratford Upon Avon

Runs: until 06 December 2025, one interval

5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: Roderick Dungate, AD Performance 01 November 2025

“Magnificent.”

This production by Daniel Raggett, in the intimate Other Place, is stunning. Raggett has taken the play into a seedy 1990s gangland pub in Glascow. The pub is realised in exquisite detail by designer, Anna Reid. This is quite a leap. But with a little textual nipping and tucking it works brilliantly.

The actors can hold their performances closer in the small space, and we are drawn into their vicious world. The atmosphere is tense as the intensity of their relationships develop; silences, even the tiniest ones, are electric. This whole is underpinned by a relentless, ominous low drumming, often just on the edge of hearing. Composer Tommy Reilly takes his cue from the witches’ instruction: ‘A drum. A Drum’; We are ever reminded that, in ways we cannot quite fathom, this is their story.

Raggett has employed his theatrical creativity to bring a modern and chilling context for all the action. We understand in an instant that this is a ‘kill or be killed’ society; the violence does not surprise us, but its gangland realism nevertheless chills us to the bone.

Sam Heughan’s massive physicality is, without effort, threatening. To his credit, he does not lean into this. His Macbeth is clearly out of his depth; so, we have powerful conflicting emotions. However, regardless of his emotional state, the projection of his dictions is such that we miss not a syllable of his text.

Lia Williams’ Lady Macbeth also draws our empathy, as well as our revulsion, as she leads the way, but is ultimately destroyed by her realisation of the horror of what she has instigated.

Gilly Gilchist’s Duncan is terrifically understated. Both actor and the character understand there is no need to perform authority if you have it. You just use it.

This is an exceptionally strong ensemble. In the intimate space Alex Newman’s McDuff learning of the death of his wife and children, with its tragic repetitions: ‘What all my pretty ones, is quite dimply devastating.

Raggett has made judicial changes or edits to Shakespeare’s text and has achieved, with one of the boldest, something I have been waiting for years and years and years to see. But I will not reveal it. Go and experience it.

A word too for the two Audio Describers, Gethyn Edwards & Jenny Steward Cosgrove. They always face challenges, but they rise to these challenges with great sensitivity to the nuances of this marvellous production.

Cast

Witches – Elidh Fisher/Irene Macdougall/Alison Peebles

Macbeth – Sam Heughan

Lady Macbeth – Lia Williams

Banquo – Nicholas Karimi

Duncan/Siward – Gilly Gilchrist

Malcom – Calum Ross

MacDuff – Alec Newman

Lady MacDuff – Jamie Marie Leary

Ross – John McLarnon

Angus – Conor McLeod

Porter – Michael Abubakar

Father – Christopher Patrick Nolan

Creative

Director – Daniel Raggett

Designer – Anna Reid

Lighting – Fyan Day

Composer – Tommy Reilly

Audio Describers – Gethyn Edwards & Jenny Stewart Cosgrove