Kenneth Branagh to Lead MACBETH at Manchester International Festival; Rob Ashford Co-Directs

Directed by Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh, this interpretation of Shakespeare's tragedy will unfold within the walls of an intimate deconsecrated Manchester Church.

Branagh last performed Shakespeare when he played Richard IIIat the Sheffield Crucible in 2002. His recent stage performances as Edmund at The National Theatre and Ivanov for the Donmar played to great acclaim. In 2011, Branagh completed a sell-out run of the hit comedy The Painkiller at the Lyric Theatre in his native Belfast.

Rob Ashford has directed and choreographed productions on both sides of the Atlantic, from collaborations with the Donmar Warehouse and National Theatre to major Broadway productions. Ashford has a string of nominations and awards to his name which include: an Olivier Award for Anna Christie, with nominations for A Streetcar Named Desire and Parade (Donmar Warehouse), and a Tony Award forThoroughly Modern Millie, with nominations for productions including Evita and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He also won an Emmy Award for his choreography at the 81st Academy Awards.

MIF will offer another chance to see Macbeth via a one-off live relay on a big screen in central Manchester. This will be an open air event; picnics, blankets and cushions are welcome.

This production of Macbeth is commissioned and produced by Manchester International Festival.

Manchester International Festival 2013 will run from Thursday 4 July - Sunday 21 July 2013. Register for updates at www.mif.co.uk