One of this year’s Manchester Theatre Awards winners, Ray Fearon, is in the cast for Kenneth Branagh’s Macbeth for the forthcoming Manchester International Festival.
Alongside Branagh in the title role and Alex Kingston as Lady Macbeth, former Royal Shakespeare Company members Jimmy Yuill and John Shrapnel will play Banquo and Duncan. Alexander Vlahos (Mordred in BBC’s Merlin) will play Malcolm, Norman Bowman (Finding Neverland; Guys & Dolls West End) will play Ross, Ray Fearon (Coronation Street; RSC Othello) will play Macduff and Rosalie Craig (NT Shed Table; Finding Neverland) will play Lady Macduff.
Branagh has long been lauded as one of the great Shakespearean interpreters. His skills as a writer, director and actor have garnered international acclaim, and he has been nominated in five different categories for an Academy Award. Branagh last performed Shakespeare when he played Richard III at the Sheffield Crucible in 2002. His recent stage performances as Edmund at the National Theatre and Ivanov for the Donmar played to acclaim.
Although performance tickets sold out some time back there is another chance to see Macbeth via a one-off live relay on a big screen open air event in central Manchester on July 20 at 8.30pm.
Manchester International Festival 2013 will run from July 4-21.