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09.02.2023

ETT Announce Macbeth & Further Programming for 2023

ETT (English Touring Theatre) today announce their new production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, in a co-production with Northern Stage, Shakespeare North Playhouse and Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, opening in September 2023 at Shakespeare North Playhouse ahead of a UK and international tour.

 

They also announce further details of their programming for 2023, which includes touring productions of The Good Person of Szechwan and I, Daniel Blake. In addition, they announce series two of their new writing podcast, F**ked Up Bedtime Stories, and they reveal more details for their previously announced monologue project, Mixed, which explores mixed-race perspectives and will be published later this year. Finally, ETT announce the third year of their flagship playwriting programme, Nationwide Voices, finding innovative new ways to integrate community and audience groups into the creation of plays for main stages, with three new partner companies across the country.

Macbeth, directed by ETT’s Artistic Director, Richard Twyman, speaks to a world we find ourselves living in now, asking why Macbeth has haunted our fears and nightmares for centuries and what lessons this cautionary tale is still trying to communicate to us. In ETT’s first international tour since 2019, Macbeth will open at Shakespeare North Playhouse on 6 September 2023, with previews from 1 September, running until 23 September, before touring to Northern Stage, Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Dubai Opera House, Cambridge Arts Theatre and The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe, with further tour dates to be announced.

 

Ahead of their upcoming production of Bertolt Brecht’s The Good Person of Szechwan, ETT announce the full cast for the run. This 80th anniversary staging is translated by Nina Segal with direction by Sheffield Theatres’ Associate Artistic Director Anthony Lau, and stars Nick Blakely, Melody Brown, Aiden Cheng, Jon Chew, Callum Coates, Togo Igawa, Camille Mallet de Chauny, Suni La, Louise Mai Newberry, Tim Samuels, Ami Tredrea and Leo Wan. The production opens at Sheffield Theatres on 16 March, with previews from 11 March, and runs until 1 April, before opening at Lyric Hammersmith Theatre in London on 20 April.

 

Following this, the previously announced production of I, Daniel Blake opens at Northern Stage in May, in a co-production between ETT, Birmingham Rep, Oldham Coliseum and tiny dragon Productions in association with Cardboard Citizens. Adapted by Dave Johns, best known for his breakthrough acting role as Daniel Blake in the 2016 film, this touching and vital story of how people come together in the face of adversity is brought to the stage for the first time. I, Daniel Blake opens at Northern Stage on 31 May, with previews from 25 May, and runs until 10 June, before transferring to Birmingham Rep.

 

Further programming for 2023 includes the continuation of ETT’s new writing podcast F**ked Up Bedtime Stories (for Adults) with more details revealed for its second season. There will be seven new episodes from writers including Chris Bush, Ella Hickson and Simon Stephens, and performers on the podcast including Maxine Peake, Stephen Mangan and Tamara Lawrance. ETT’s monologue project interrogating the characterisation of mixed-race identity in contemporary Britain, Mixed, continues with writers including Javaad Alipoor and Sabrina Mahfouz. Finally, ETT announces the third year of its flagship playwriting programme, Nationwide Voices, in collaboration with three new partner companies: Birmingham Rep, Manchester Royal Exchange and tiata fahodzi.

 

Richard Twyman, Artistic Director and CEO and Holly Gladwell, Executive Producer of ETT said, “It brings us great excitement to announce a new production of Macbeth from ETT this Autumn with our partners Northern Stage, Shakespeare North and Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. Following the success of Othello, which toured extensively in the UK and internationally between 2017-19, we’re looking forward to be bringing Shakespeare’s iconic play of bloodshed, corruption, and a society uprising against tyranny to audiences internationally and across the UK. 

We’re delighted to be working with our co-producers and touring internationally for the first time since the pandemic, bringing this bold retelling to our ever-growing world audience. In our first partnership with Shakespeare North, we’re looking forward to connecting with new audiences in their beautiful new space, continuing ETT’s mission of touring world class contemporary work to local communities.”