How many times have you heard the name ‘Macbeth’? ‘Shakespeare’s play Macbeth…’, ‘Macbeth was a…’, ‘ambition was Macbeth’s…’, ‘Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth…’. As a student studying Macbeth as a part of the GCSE English literature curriculum, I hear the word ‘Macbeth’ every single day.

However, something new was watching it in real life - at the theatre. Being able to experience the anticipation and the drama of Macbeth’s tragic downfall. And who better to be the leading part than Ralph Fiennes himself. The tour of ‘Macbeth’, directed by Simon Godwin, is currently performing in London, until the 30th of March in Dock X; in the Canada Water Retail Park, less than 15 minutes travel from Waterloo station.  

The amazing production was around 2 and a half hours long, with an interval halfway through, and ticket prices ranged from £15 and upwards. Before you enter the theatre and take your seats, you must walk through the burning wreckage and debris of a war - there is rubble everywhere, and a destroyed car is still flickering with embers inside, setting the scene. However, there is a lack of decoration when you take your seats on the stage, giving no hint as to what is about to come.  

The production is as dramatic as it can get, and I loved watching it knowing what was about to happen and knowing the deeper meaning to certain scenes. The person sitting next to me, Liliana Perez, said ‘What an amazing set and production, Ralph Fiennes was amazing!!’ I would recommend going to see this play or any other production of Macbeth, whether you have any prior knowledge before watching it or not. 

Resources: https://macbeththeshow.com/