Parodos Theatre Company is set to return to the Gaiety Theatre stage this weekend with Shakespeare's timeless tragedy ‘Macbeth’.

Brought to life under the direction of island director Tony Eccles, the show will portray a ‘gripping tale of ambition, power, and betrayal’.

The famous story begins with three witches who prophesise that Macbeth, a valiant Scottish general, will become the King of Scotland.

Spurred on by their prediction and driven by his ambitious wife, he murders King Duncan and seizes the throne, with a rule dominated by tyranny and madness soon to follow.

The local cast involved in the show will include Thomas Iain Dixon as Macbeth, Gemma Varnom as Lady Macbeth, and Saoirse Coyle-Carroll, Máire Stephens and Lisa Davis as the three witches.

Daniel-Sebastian Gray will portray Banquo, with Alex Duncan taking on the role of his namesake King Duncan and Charlie Williams playing Malcolm.

There are 26 cast members overall, with further characters including the likes of Macduff, Lady Macduff, Macduff’s son, Lennox, Ross and Fleance.

This will be the third Shakespeare play that Parodos have taken on, following their portrayal of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in 2022 and ‘The Merchant of Venice’ in 2023, after only being founded back in 2021.

Talking about the play, co-founder Alex Armstrong commented: ‘It is certainly said to be one of Shakespeare’s best plays.

‘It’s renowned for its complex characters, intense themes of ambition, power, guilt, and its memorable language. The play's exploration of the human psyche and moral dilemmas has captivated audiences for centuries.

‘Our choice of Macbeth was in collaboration with VillaGaiety. A popular text for GCSE and A Level English and Drama students, we wanted to produce a play which would appeal to those studying the text as well as members of the public.

‘Macbeth is a timeless piece which is well known to many.’

Auditions for the show were held earlier this year over two full days, with additional auditions received via tape.

In contrast to traditional rehearsal periods, Parodos have undertaken a rigorous six-week rehearsal programme which has been ‘well-received’ by actors in previous shows.

‘It was great to have so many people interested in taking on the challenge of performing Shakespeare,’ Alex added.

‘Since being founded, we have seen an increase year on year in actors wishing to audition for our shows, and it was great to see familiar faces as well as welcoming new ones.

‘Audiences can expect dramatic moments of ruthless ambition with the occasional scene of light relief.

‘With creative lighting, dramatic stage combat and special effects, audiences will be transported to the highlands of Scotland.’

Tickets are on sale now at villagaiety.com/macbeth and via telephone on 600555.

The shows will take place at 7.30pm on Thursday (April 3), Friday (April 4) and Saturday (April 5), with tickets costing £20 for adults and £18 for over-65s and under 18s.

In an initiative looking to engage the island's youth, Parodos has also scheduled a morning performance for secondary school students.