ETT (English Touring Theatre) have announced a new production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, in a co-production with Northern Stage, Shakespeare North Playhouse and Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg.
The production will open on 1 September 2023 at Shakespeare North Playhouse, running until 23 September, and then go on a UK and international tour including Northern Stage (28 September – 7 October 2023), Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg (25 – 29 October 2023), Dubai Opera House (2 – 5 November 2023), Cambridge Arts Theatre (8 – 11 November 2023) and The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe (14 – 18 November 2023).
Macbeth will be directed by ETT’s Artistic Director Richard Twyman, with casting and the wider creative team to be announced.
Other ETT productions for 2023 include Bertolt Brecht’s The Good Person of Szechwan, which opens at Sheffield Theatres from 11 March 2023, running to 1 April, and then plays the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith from 15 April to 13 May 2023 (Book tickets to the Lyric Hammersmith run here).
Translated by Nina Segal, The Good Person of Szechwan is directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Associate Artistic Director Anthony Lau, with Design by Georgia Lowe, Lighting Design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, Casting by Jacob Sparrow, Composer DJ Walde, Sound Design by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite, Movement Direction by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, Casting Director Jacob Sparrow, Associate Lighting Director Jason Ahn, Associate Movement Director Tara Young and Assistant Director Lexine Lee.
The cast will include Nick Blakely, Melody Brown, Aiden Cheng, Jon Chew, Callum Coates, Togo Igawa, Camille Mallet de Chauny, Suni La, Louise Mai Newberry, Tim Samuels, Ami Tredrea and Leo Wan.
Following this will be ETT’s new production of I, Daniel Blake, starting at Northern Stage on 25 May 2023, in a co-production between ETT, Birmingham Rep, Oldham Coliseum and tiny dragon Productions, in association with Cardboard Citizens.
Adapted by Dave Johns, best known for his breakthrough acting role as Daniel Blake in the 2016 film, this touching and vital story of how people come together in the face of adversity is brought to the stage for the first time.
Directed by Mike Calvert, the play’s Designer is Rhys Jarman, Lighting Designer Simisola Majekodunmi, Music by Ross Millard, Video and Projection Designers Nina Dunn and Matthew Brown, and Movement Director Martin Hylton.
I, Daniel Blake runs until 10 June at Northern Stages before transferring to Birmingham Rep.
The ETT have also announced Series Two of their new writing podcast, F**ked Up Bedtime Stories; and their previously announced monologue project Mixed, exploring mixed-race perspectives, will be published later this year.
Richard Twyman, Artistic Director and CEO and Holly Gladwell, Executive Producer of ETT said in a press statement:
“It brings us great excitement to announce a new production of Macbeth from ETT this Autumn with our partners Northern Stage, Shakespeare North and Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. Following the success of Othello, which toured extensively in the UK and internationally between 2017-19, we’re looking forward to be bringing Shakespeare’s iconic play of bloodshed, corruption, and a society uprising against tyranny to audiences internationally and across the UK. We’re delighted to be working with our co-producers and touring internationally for the first time since the pandemic, bringing this bold retelling to our ever-growing world audience. In our first partnership with Shakespeare North, we’re looking forward to connecting with new audiences in their beautiful new space, continuing ETT’s mission of touring world class contemporary work to local communities.”
