David Tennant and Cush Jumbo's Macbeth director reveals what it's like working with them
We spoke to Macbeth director Max Webster about a very "special moment" with the two leads in rehearsal.
David Tennant and Cush Jumbo are back on the stage this October with their captivating (and gory) production of Macbeth. This latest adaptation is headed for the Harold Pinter Theatre following a sold-out stint at the Donmar Warehouse last year – but can they recreate the same magic as the first run?
Director Max Webster certainly thinks so. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the joy of working with both actors, he said: "Every day in rehearsals, I was like, wow, this is exciting."
"They endlessly tried new things, and all of them were good. The only problem would be selecting one from all the excellent options!"
The director, who won an Olivier Award for his adaptation of Life of Pi, zoned in on Cush Jumbo for one "special moment" in particular.
"Cush, like me, was interested in thinking about Lady Macbeth as someone who's lost a child and having those conversations around motherhood and mental health," he said.
"We brought in Cush's experience of becoming a mum and my experience of becoming a dad and the challenges of that in the modern world, the pressure we put on parents and all the complexities around that.
"And there's a moment in the show where Lady Macbeth suddenly imagines her child isn't there anymore and goes to try and take his hand, and the first time Cush did that it was a very moving, very special moment."
Webster went on to discuss Tennant and the "knack" he has for Shakespeare.
"He's someone who can do Shakespeare so fully and make it really big and vibrant, but also make it totally real – So it doesn't sound like it's coming out of the museum. It sounds like a real person speaking it right now in the modern world, and to make it sound fresh and modern is just a huge skill."
He added jokingly: "The thing is David is absolutely fine without me, he knows what he's doing! He's also a very kind human being and led to the company, along with Cush, with grace and humour and hard work and all the good things."
From one Doctor to another, Webster is also running the show on the upcoming National Theatre production of The Importance of Being Earnest, starring Ncuti Gatwa.
The show will mark Webster's National Theatre debut and also features Hugh Skinner (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) and Sharon D Clarke (Doctor Who).
When discussing this frankly epic cast, he said: "We literally made lists of who we thought the best actors were for the main parts, and we've got them! It was really was as simple as that."
Just now getting into the rehearsal process, he added: "Hopefully what you'll watch is some of the UK's best actors being witty and clever and flirtatious and inventive and just giving the audience a really good time. This should be a really strong feel, good comedy and I can't wait."
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