This is the first edition of ''Macbeth'' to be developed by and for the RSC, the world's leading Shakespeare theatre company and it includes unique material to help the reader understand and enjoy Shakespeare on the stage as well as on the page. It is illustrated with photographs of classic and unusual performances. Outstanding on-page notes explain words and phrases unfamiliar to a modern audience, including the slang, political references and bawdy humour often ignored or censored in competing editions. The book includes scene-by-scene summary, offering an easily understandable way into the play; presents a completely new introduction by Jonathan Bate, exploring the text and critical debates around it; contains a summary of the play's performance history, at the RSC and elsewhere; and features interviews with important Shakespearean directors Rupert Goold, Gregory Doran and Trevor Nunn discussing key productions at the RSC.