Macbeth - TNT

This is Macbeth like you've never seen it before. From its opening scene, Rupert Goold's interpretation makes the familiar frightening as the three witches, here a trio of sinister nurses, kill off the injured soldier bringing news of battle.Then, knife-wielding and bloody, they are sinister servants in the white-tiled bunker which serves as military hospital, kitchen and banquet room. With its post-war Soviet references, this is an innovative and chilling account of Macbeth's ambition. In the title role, Patrick Stewart submits memorably to the troubled callousness that eventually overpowers him. He is well-matched by Kate Fleetwood as his equally treacherous spouse, scrubbing her hands clean of the psychological consequences of her crime. And Michael Feast's Macduff registers his grief with a prolonged silence that speaks volumes of despair.
Gielgud, Shaftesbury Ave, W1 (0870-950 0915). Until December 1. £49.50-£20