ARTS-ED graduate Richard Graylin will be playing the lead in The Questors Theatre's new production of Macbeth.

Despite the mad and murderous ambition of Scotland's most infamous Thane, Chiswick-based Graylin has been searching for the human side of Macbeth and his craving for power.

"It would be easy to play him as a two-dimensional psychopath, who kills anyone who stands in his way, but the writing gives him so much more humanity than that," he said.

Like many people, he studied the play for his GSCE exams, but he thinks the text and the dark, eerie world conjured up by The Questors' timeless production has a particularly fitting resonance today.

After several weeks of hard work in rehearsals, including time taken away from the turkey to memorise monologues on Christmas Day, Richard is increasingly excited about the production.

Macbeth runs from January 31 to February 7 in the Judi Dench Playhouse at The Questors Theatre, Mattock Lane, Ealing, and tickets can be bought online from www.ealingtheatre.com, or the box office on 020 8567 5184.