Making Macbeth: Acting in the Round

    Continuing our Making Macbeth series, Assistant Director Charlotte Marigot brings us all the latest from Week 2 in the rehearsal room here in Bristol – talking progress, props and plays in the round.

    Macbeth Rehearsals_Mark Dawson Photography_DSC_2113

    On your feet! The full cast is now back together in the rehearsal room and we start our second week with our traditional volley ball game to warm us up. As we are getting ready to bring the text to the stage, the Stage Management team introduce us to the marked up space as it will be for the performances. Actors try their different entrances and exits and have a stronger feel about working in a space in the round.

    Before separating into our scenes Adele asks the actors to create for themselves some memories about their character of a time before the play started, which helps to link the dots. We then start each scene reminding ourselves where we are, what we want, how we are going to achieve it and what we could lose if we don’t. It is fascinating to see characters growing – interpretations are becoming more and more visceral as the actors experiment on their feet. As the week progresses, we are coming to an end of Act 1 and there is still loads to discover from the rest of the play.

    The children finally meet our adult actors too and they act together for the first time. There is something magical about working with children that brings a special touch to what we are doing. They are just so natural at it! Our fight director Kev Curdy has also joined us and created some really cool sequences…I can’t tell you more, you will just have to come and see!

    Other exciting events: props are making their way to the rehearsal room and we are discovering what our characters will be acting with. The Stage Management team is doing a fantastic job sourcing what the play needs and we see the world of the play become more tangible every day. Bring on Week 3!


    Macbeth runs at Tobacco Factory Theatres from Thu 22 February – Sat 07 April. To find out more and book visit the main show page.

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