Macbeth rides again

Another theatrical triumph is about to be unleashed on the world. Stand aside Gielgud, Olivier, John Wayne. I'm playing Macbeth! Sort of.

In fact I'm playing Macbeth in "The Real Lady Macbeth", a play by Stuart Delves . Winner of a Fringe First in 1982, The play traces both the truth and lies surrounding the Macbeths. As the fictional Shakespeare (that's me) says:

What interests me is not the history but the man… Give that man poetry & rich imagination, then sell his soul to the devil & let him communicate.

The actors wander through five centuries, playing four parts each, as they explore historical fact mixed with fictional fable. For

A man must find his fable, and kill it with his truth.

So I play the "real" Macbeth, Shakespeare's Macbeth, Shakespeare (from Perry Bar), and Blink, and get to do the "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" speech in broad Brummie accent. More importantly I get to empty the dressing-up box and wear my flouncy, Mr Darcy-like shirt, knee high boots, massive metal encrusted belt, and wave my broadsword around outside the house for once!