Ralph Fiennes' Macbeth in Liverpool huge coup for city, councillor says

Ralph Fiennes will star as Shakespeare's infamous Thane, while Indira Varma will play Lady Macbeth

Hosting a star-studded Macbeth is a "huge coup" which will "hopefully open the doors" for similar projects in Liverpool, a councillor has said.

Ralph Fiennes will play the infamous Thane at The Depot in November and December opposite Indira Varma.

City councillor Harry Doyle said it represented a significant moment for the studio, which opened in 2021.

He said hosting the show was "a totally new direction for us but it just goes to show what can be achieved".

A council representative said the studio would be "transformed into a custom-built theatre" for the production which will later be staged in Edinburgh, London and Washington DC.

They said Fiennes, who was "renowned for a whole host of iconic roles in films including Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and M in the James Bond series", would play the "ruthless lead", while Game of Thrones star Varma would be Lady Macbeth.

'A blank canvas'

The council spokesperson said the show's producers Wessex Grove and Underbelly "came to the city and looked at several units before choosing The Depot".

"It's never held an audience before, so, for instance, there's currently no bar area and an audience of 658 poses its challenges, in terms of fire regulations and things," they added.

Mr Doyle said it was "a huge coup for Liverpool".

He added: "It's a triple whammy of one of the most famous plays in the world, performing in our venue and starring two of the biggest names on the big and small screen.

"We have always had huge ambitions around The Depot, with a focus on meeting the demand for studio space for the film and TV industry.

"Hosting a theatre production with a live audience is a totally new direction for us but it just goes to show what can be achieved when you have the facilities to attract projects of this scale.

"It's massively exciting and will hopefully open the doors to similar projects making the most of this diverse and adaptable location."

Culture Liverpool director Clare McColgan said the location's "industrial characteristics, and the fact it's a producer and director's dream [as] a blank canvas, meant it was the perfect venue for a bespoke theatre set and will be an unforgettable experience for all involved".

She added: "We always knew we'd have huge names in The Depot, but we had never initially envisioned it in a theatrical capacity."

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