Strange Town actor for West End Macbeth
David Tennant’s hit Macbeth transfers to Harold Pinter theatre
Edinburgh’s Strange Town theatre company and young acting agency has another West End star in its books as Raffi Phillips joins his fellow cast members in the transfer of the Donmar Warehouse’s Macbeth to the Harold Pinter theatre.
The much lauded production, with David Tennant in the title role, has posted a ten week run, Tue 1 October to Sat 14 December 2024 with tickets now on sale (ticket link). Directed by Max Webster with Cush Jumbo as Lady Macbeth it boasts a largely Scottish supporting cast.
Raffi Phillips. Pic: Paul Johnston
Raffi Phillips triples-up as Macduff’s Son, Fleance and Young Siward in the production, which is notable not just for Tennant’s turn as Macbeth, although he is certainly a huge draw.
The cast includes many Lyceum, Traverse, NTS and Dundee Rep regulars in what must be one of the most Scottish Macbeths ever to run in London’s West End.
It is also hugely innovative in its sound design with Gareth Fry creating a 3D sound world which the audience experiences through headphones. This is the same binaural sound technique used by Fry for Complicité’s The Encounter, seen at the EIF in 2015.
Live music
Live music in the production is from an onstage Scottish folk band lead by NTS regular Alasdair Macrae, with Gaelic singer Kathleen MacInnes, who was a vocalist in Macro at the opening of the EIFC 2022 and Annie Grace, seen in many musical productions, most recently The Stamping Ground.
The rest of the cast includes Cal MacAninch, seen during lockdown in the Lyceum’s online Christmas plays, as Banquo. Rona Morison, who was in the Lyceum’s Glory on Earth and the third of the James Plays, is Lady Macduff and Noof Ousellam, who was brought up in Leith, is Macduff.
David Tennant and Cush Jumbo as the Macbeths.
Ros Watt, who was a particularly chilling Renfield in the NTS’s Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning, plays Malcolm. Benny Young, seen most recently in the Peter Arnott’s Group Portrait in a Summer Landscape at the Lyceum and most memorably as Lucky in the theatre’s 50th anniversary Waiting for Godot, is Duncan and the Doctor.
Moyo Akandé, first seen in Edinburgh as Friday the 2009 King’s Panto, plays Ross and Brian James O’Sullivan, a regular with A Play, a Pie and a Pint – including the recent Meetings with the Monk – is Donalbain, a Soldier and a Murderer as well as performing as a Musician.
Jatinder Singh Randhawa, who was in the NTS tour of Moorcroft is the Porter and Seytan; and joining Raffi Phillips in the young team, Casper Knopf from Bushey near Watford, makes his professional stage debut as Macduff’s Son, Fleance and Young Siward.
wider audience
Announcing the transfer, the producers said: “Having played to capacity houses at the Donmar, it’s wonderful to be able to share this fabulous production with a wider audience, with a third of the tickets for every performance at £35 or under.”
Besides putting one third of the Harold Pinter’s 796 seats up for a lower price, its 20 front row seats will available for purchase on the day of performance at £25.
Listing
Macbeth
Harold Pinter Theatre, Panton St, London SW1Y 4DN
Tuesday 1 October to Saturday 14 December 2024
Mon-Sat: 7.30pm; Sat Mat: 2.30pm.
Tickets and details: Book here.
ENDS
