The Rupert Goold-directed, Chichester Festival Production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which is currently playing at the Gielgud, has announced that following its London run the show will transfer to the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York. This follows runs at Chichester (25 May-1 Sep) and in London that have been almost universally lauded by the critics. Macbeth closes at the Gielgud on 1 December.
Lead actors Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood are committed to the six week American transfer, as are the rest of the current cast. The actors and crew will first enjoy a break over the Christmas period, as the production does not open in New York until 12 February 2008.
The Goold/Stewart production of the Scottish play is the second Shakespearean success in a row for the director/actor combination, following the much-applauded RSC version of The Tempest – in which Stewart played Prospero – which ran at the Novello in Spring 2007.
Stewart, who is best known for his performances as Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has recently spent more time returning to his stage roots than in the studio. Recent years have seen him play Antony in Antony And Cleopatra, Malvolio in Twelfth Night and everyone in his own adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
Director Goold has also had a packed London diary for 2007, directing the touring Headlong production of Rough Crossings, which recently played the Lyric Hammersmith, in addition to The Tempest and Macbeth. em>MA