Helen Mirren said recently, in an interview, that Lady Macbeth’s role was ‘horribly underwritten’, and this really resonated with me. I think our view of her is very limited, she’s known generally as the ‘fiend-like queen’ and a byword for evil manipulation. And my research confirmed my hunch.

 

The real woman of 11th century Scotland, whose first name was Gruoch, experienced violence and prejudice. Several members of her family were murdered by the king’s army, as they had stronger claims to the throne. Inspired by Gruoch, my adaptation builds empathy for a woman in her forties, who finds herself with very little agency, but challenges this with the support of other women.

 

In my version, the Witches are not on the margins but instead re-imagined as Gentlewoman from her previous court. The play demonstrates how they too are the butt of misogynistic attitudes, but through their relationship with Lady Macbeth, we see how powerful and resilient female alliances can be – a model which is much needed as our sense of community gets ever more fractured.”