Something good this way came

An audience of 400, the largest so far on Illyria’s nationwide summer tour, gave their full attention to this powerful ensemble performance of Macbeth.

The excellent acoustics of the wooded setting, a calm and clear evening and impeccable diction from all five cast members ensured that, even in the pacy ferocity of the second half, every word was heard.

Husband and wife in real life, William Finkenrath and Theresa Brockway, right, are a commanding presence as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, with Finkenrath always impassioned and sometimes close to derangement.

The humour lies with Matthew Rothwell, comically kilted and Scottish in accent, whose scene in among the front row of the audience is first-class.

The ingenuity of the portrayal of the witches, the drumming and the sword fighting were greatly enjoyed by the pleasingly large number of schoolchildren present.

Illyria newcomer Beau Jeavons-White as Macduff and the versatile Emma Vickery, playing six different characters, both demonstrated huge stage presence.

Oliver Grey directs with his customary deft touch, making light work of the unusual setting. Macbeth, outdoors in a very English parkland, is not easy, but, as dusk crept up, the cast bring the roughness of medieval Scotland to life before violence gives way to a measured finale.

Illyria return to Lytham Hall on the afternoon of Bank Holiday Sunday, August 24, at 4.00 pm with the Roald Dahl children’s favourite George’s Marvellous Medicine.

Tickets at £13, with concessions at £10 for seniors and students and £6.50 for school children, are available from Lytham Hall and elsewhere.

Call the Hall on 01 253 736652 for further details.

Review by Toby Stirling