After several months of planning, preparation, design and procurement of costumes, finally the first weekend arrived. The company is made up of actors, musicians and crew members from the local area and across the UK, many of whom began to arrive in St Dogmaels throughout the weekend in time for the first full read through on the Sunday evening. The read through gives you a wonderful sketch of how the finished play will turn out, and a first sense of how each actor is working with their role.

Rehearsals proper kicked off on Monday morning the next day, with the full cast assembling in the morning for a physical warm up, character workshops and an exploration of the changing power hierarchies and political and familial allegiances in the play. After enjoying weeks of blazing sunshine, we had to dodge a few passing showers as the weather cooled, which the grass and wildflower meadow at the abbey was in sore need of. Despite the watery interruptions, we made quick progress through Act I of the play, first conjuring up the sounds of battle against the Norwegian forces before the opening scene and then introducing Macbeth to the weird sisters who ignite his ambitions and set him on a fateful course of events.

We're look forward to more of the same tomorrow, as Macbeth and his wife begin to plot how they can expedite the changes promised to them by the three witches.

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