Michael harbours an ambition to direct Macbeth, and gets his
chance with the autumn production of the Shellsfoot Thespians. He
encounters many problems – from not being able to find enough men to
cast the play, to incurring the wrath of grande dame Geraldine by not
giving her the part of Lady Macbeth. He casts his wife in the part
opposite Frank, unaware that they are having an affair. It soon appears
that the jinx surrounding the play extends to amateur productions and to
Michael’s life, but he remains determined to get the show on at any
cost – which eventually includes both his job and his marriage. This
witty play was first broadcast on BBC Radio.
The Scottish Play was first produced 1989 in Sandgate, Kent, by the Folkestone and Hythe Operatic and Dramatic Society. Many subsequent productions followed in nine different countries. In 2024, the Phoenix Players in Stratford-upon-Avon presented the play's 100th production.