A Performance of Macbeth (1979) (TV)

Director:

Philip Casson

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play)
Trevor Nunn (conceived for television by)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Haunted By Own Murder Victim | Needing Sleep | Able To See The Dead | Shakespeare's Macbeth | Resentment Toward Usurper

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Ian McKellen	...	Macbeth
Judi Dench	...	Lady Macbeth
John Bown	...	Lennox
Susan Dury	...	3rd Witch / Lady Macduff
Judith Harte	...	2nd Witch / Gentlewoman
Greg Hicks	...	Donalbain / Seyton
David Howey	...	Sergeant / 1st Murderer / Doctor
Griffith Jones	...	Duncan
Marie Kean	...	1st Witch
Ian McDiarmid	...	The Porter / Ross
Bob Peck	...	Macduff
Duncan Preston	...	Angus
Roger Rees	...	Malcolm
Zak Taylor	...	Fleance / Messenger
Stephen Warner	...	Young Macduff
John Woodvine	...	Banquo

Directed by
Philip Casson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Trevor Nunn		conceived for television by
William Shakespeare		play

Produced by
Verity Lambert	....	executive producer
Trevor Nunn	....	producer

Original Music by
Guy Woolfenden

Casting by
Joyce Nettles

Production Design by
Mike Hall

Costume Design by
Lyn Harvey

Makeup Department
Sally Thorpe	....	makeup designer

Art Department
Ruth Bribram	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Julian Ford	....	sound supervisor

Stunts
Peter Woodward	....	fight director

Camera and Electrical Department
Luigi Bottone	....	lighting technician
Peter Coombs	....	senior camera operator
Paul Stripp	....	vision controller

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lyn Harvey	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Martin Perrett	....	vision mixer
Fred Turner	....	editor: video tape

Other crew
Betty Crowe	....	stage manager
Myles MacMahon	....	stage manager
Juliet Mander	....	stage manager
Trevor Nunn	....	stage director
Ruth Parkhill	....	production assistant
Dave Sparks	....	studio supervisor
John Wayne	....	floor manager

Production Companies

• Royal Shakespeare Company
• Thames Television

Distributors

• Independent Television (ITV) (1979) (UK) (TV)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Royal Shakespeare Company  stage production

Also Known As:

Runtime:

UK:145 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG

Company:

Royal Shakespeare Company

Trivia:

This was filmed on a circular stage.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #22.5" (2005)

Stunning

The performance by Ian McKellen proves that he is one of the best Shakesperean actors ever (and I've seen all the famous ones on the stage). Macbeth is not a complex character, just a fine man sucked into a downward spiral by his ambitious wife, but Shakespeare gives him really magnificent poetry to speak (Tomorrow, etc.), and McKellen says it all breathtakingly. Actually, some of Macbeth's lines are very difficult to understand, and McKellen is capable of the ultimate actor's magic of making the lines seem quite understandable as he speaks them (they go back to being difficult when you contemplate them on the page). His representation of the descent into madness is extremely effective, even though he goes quite far in this. Exactly how psychotic Macbeth becomes is one important question in interpreting this character, and McKellen (and Trevor Nunn, who directed) decide to go all the way. The other actors are all adequate, no problem. Judi Dench is not entirely convincing as the evil-from-the-outset Lady Macbeth, really a caricature and not a fully developed person in the play (Shakespeare's fault, not Judi's). Dame Judi is just not an evil person, and can't make us believe she is. However, at the most crucial point, the sleepwalking scene in the last act which precedes her suicide, she rises to the occasion. Her wail in unforgettable. This was originally a stage production, done in the round with few props, fine for this play, which is about words (and faces), not about setting. It's great that someone had the idea of filming the stage production, and doing it so well that it's possible to watch it. For many years this tape has only been available to educational institutions for $250, so it's great that everyone can see such a stunning performance now. And its great that Ian McKellen has become better known through X-Men and Lord of the Rings (though it takes Shakespeare to display his true talents).