Award-winning actors Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga will play one of Shakespeare's most famous and formidable couples in Macbeth on Broadway. This new production, directed by Sam Gold, will run at the Longacre Theatre for 15 weeks only. Macbeth tickets will be available on New York Theatre Guide soon.
"Something wicked this way comes," the three witches say of the titular character of the Macbeth play. The show begins with those witches prophesying that Macbeth, a thane and warrior in Scotland, will climb the ranks of power and eventually become the Scottish king. He thinks they're talking nonsense — for about five minutes, until he receives word that another nobleman is a traitor and that he's been promoted.
He sends word to his wife, the ruthless Lady Macbeth, who plots that Macbeth must kill everyone ahead of him in the line of power so he can get ahead. Macbeth is guilty and nervous at first, but he agrees and quickly becomes drunk with his steadily increasing power. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth, initially ambitious and merciless, becomes wracked with guilt.
One of William Shakespeare's most famous tragedies, Macbeth is all at once a portrait of a deteriorating marriage, a cautionary tale against unchecked greed and power, and a tale of guilt and loss. The new Macbeth Broadway production is one of numerous stage, screen, and literary adaptations of this timeless and harrowing story, with the last Broadway production of the play taking place from 2013 to 2014 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.
Daniel Craig is the latest in a long line of actors to take up the mantle of Macbeth, following in the footsteps of actors like Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Sean Connery (who, also like Craig, has gained onscreen acclaim as James Bond), and Denzel Washington in the 2021 film adaptation. Macbeth marks Craig's third Broadway appearance; he previously starred in Betrayal and A Steady Rain. In contrast, Ruth Negga makes her Broadway debut in Macbeth, after receiving acclaim for her onscreen work, including Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for her role in Loving and various film society awards for her role in Passing.
Director Sam Gold's last Broadway production was also a Shakespeare play: He helmed a revival of King Lear with Glenda Jackson in the title role. He's also directed such acclaimed Broadway shows as Fun Home and A Doll's House, Part 2.
Go see where fair is foul and foul is fair at Macbeth — just don't say the title in the theatre.
Tickets to Macbeth in New York will be available soon.
