Macbeth -

Ma

Melbourne, present day.

The story begins when Macbeth (Sam Worthington), a loyal henchman, is rewarded with gifts from his crime boss Duncan (Gary Sweet) for serving him faithfully and performing bravely in a vicious gangland rip-off.

But these gifts are nothing compared to what Duncan lavishes on his son Malcolm (Matt Doran).  Macbeth wonders why he bothers to stick his neck out when Malcolm does nothing at all.

Macbeth is then visited by some extraordinary young witches, dabblers in the occult arts, who indicate that he shall be the new crime ‘king’. Banquo (Steve Bastoni) won’t be of the same standing, but he will father a ‘king’.

Macbeth is intrigued, but when Lady Macbeth (Victoria Hill) drops the hint that they might kill Duncan and take over the gang for themselves, he realises he may simply be fulfilling his destiny.

Duncan is killed in Macbeth’s own home, with Lady Macbeth providing the drugs to silence the bodyguards and Macbeth, reluctantly, carrying out the murder.

Suspicion for the murder falls on Malcolm and he has to leave town. Macbeth seizes power and becomes ruler of the gang. But still, he knows there may be rivals. The madness that drove Macbeth to kill Duncan now compels him to dispose of Banquo, followed by Macduff (Lachy Hume), or at least his young family, when Macduff is not to be found.

Some of the gang members begin to have their doubts about Macbeth’s regime. Macbeth’s wife is particularly affected by the brutal killing of Macduff’s family; after all, she’s lost a child of her own. Perhaps she isn’t as ruthless as she thought; perhaps Macbeth is more ruthless than he thought?

Meanwhile, Malcolm returns and joins forces with Macduff and war is waged.

While Macbeth waits for the blow to come, his wife commits suicide, leaving him and the rump of his men to take on his enemies who storm his country house, using all the power they can procure, including a corrupt police force. Macbeth fights like a man possessed, becoming bolder as the situation worsens. He is a mighty warrior. But will it be enough?

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