White Heat star Claire Foy will play Lady Macbeth in the forthcoming high-profile production starring BAFTA-winning actor James McAvoy as the famous tyrannical Scottish ruler at the Trafalgar Studios.
Macbeth will play from 9 February until 27 April and opens a new season of work at the venue called Trafalgar Transformed, a programme of political plays that will be accompanied by a festival of platform events, discussions and readings.
Foy returns to the London stage to play the famously ruthless wife following her starring role in the critically acclaimed Royal Court theatre production Love, Love, Love. Best known for her work on screen, the actress has starred in many high-profile television series including Upstairs Downstairs, Little Dorrit, The Promise and The Night Watch, as well as appearing in film Season Of The Witch.
While Foy and McAvoy will lead the cast as one of the most famous theatrical stage pairings, Shakespeare’s dark, political tale is packed with some of the playwright’s most legendary characters and the production boasts a stellar supporting cast to take on these roles.
Regular Royal Shakespeare Company leads Jamie Ballard and Forbes Masson will play Macduff and Banquo, joining Kevin Guthrie, Richard Hansell, Callum O’Neill, Mark Quartley, Hugh Ross, Graeme Dalling and Catherine Murray. Completing the cast are Lisa Gardner, Allison McKenzie and Olivia Morgan who will provide some of the play’s black magic as the sinister play’s three witches.
Macbeth is directed by Jamie Lloyd, who spoke to press when the season was first announced, saying: “I am thrilled to announce the first production for Trafalgar Transformed, a season of politically-charged power plays on the doorstep of Whitehall. We hope to welcome new and diverse audiences to the West End and I am very excited to engage with schools and other groups via a series of bespoke workshops and masterclasses.”