Macbeth plays final performance

The Chichester Festival's award winning production of Shakespeare's Macbeth, starring 2008 Tony nominees Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood, ends its eight-week limited engagement this evening (24 May 2008) as scheduled.

The production opened at the Lyceum Theatre on 8 Apr 2008, following previews from 29 Mar 2008. When the show closes it will have played 11 previews and 53 regular performances.

Macbeth: Set in an industrial chamber that is equally military hospital ward, kitchen, torture chamber, and abattoir, Goold's eerily modern Macbeth rings with the echoes of Stalinist terror. Macbeth is a decorated and loyal war hero, but loyalty only goes so far when greatness and history beckon and murder is only a matter of military coups and secret assassinations.

The Chichester Theatre Festival's Macbeth, directed by Rupbert Gould, played to popular acclaim at the festival's Minerva Theatre from 25 May - 1 Sep 2007, before being transfering to London's Gielgud Theatre, where it played from 21 Sep - 1 Dec 2008, once again to critical and popular acclaim.

"An excellent production with fine performances and inventive direction." (London Theatre Guide); "Macbeth of a lifetime ...This historic production enjoys a perfect thrill-factor." (Evening Standard); "Spellbinding...A traditionally difficult play is magnificently realised." (Guardian);"Patrick Stewart...giving a truly great performance in Rupert Goold's brilliantly inventive, heart-stoppingly scary production...this is the greatest production of Macbeth I have ever seen." (Daily Telegraph.)

The production won two Evening Standard Awards: Patrick Stewart won Best Actor, and Rupbert Gould was awarded Best Director. The production has also been nominated for five Olivier Awards (winners announced 9 Mar 2008): Best Revival, Best Actor (Patrick Stewart), Best Director (Rupbert Gould), Best lighting (Howard Harrison) and Best Set Design (Anthony Ward and Lorna Heavey.)

Chichester Festival's Macbeth opened at BAM (Brooklyn Acadamy of Music) on 12 Mar 2008, playing a limited engagement through to 22 Mar 2008.

As well as starring Patrick Stewart, the production features all of the original Chihester Festival cast: Kate Fleetwood (Lady Macbeth), Paul Shelley (Duncan), Scott Handy (Malcolm), Ben Carpenter (Donalbain), Martin Turner (Banquo), Michael Feast (Macduff), Mark Rawlings (Lennox), Tim Treloar (Ross), Bill Nash (Angus), Christopher Knott (Old Seyward), Oliver Birch (Lady Macbeth's servant), Christopher Patrick Nolan (Seyton), Hywel John (Bloody Sergeant), Suzanne Burden (Lady Macduff), Polly Frame, Niamh McGrady and Sophie Hunter (Witches) - the one exception being Sophie Hunter, who replaces Laura Rees as one of the three witches.

The creative team features Set Design by Anthony Ward and Lorna Heavey, lighting design by Howard Harrison, composed and sound design by Adam Cork and video and projection design by Lorna Heavey.