Macbeth runtime?

[Ke3]

Posted: 10/8/21 at 11:36pm

Can anyone give me an average runtime for Macbeth? I was already planning to see ITW at City Center on May 8th of next year, but now I'm interested in seeing Macbeth. I was wondering if a two show day would work with Macbeth at 3 and ITW at 7?

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 10/8/21 at 11:40pm

It's literally impossible to know, particularly with Sam Gold directing. Macbeth is usually on the shorter end of Shakespeare's plays but Sam Gold conceivably could add a great deal of business to stretch the run time... he could also be cutting it down to ninety minutes. It's unlikely to be longer than two and a half hours... but if you're nervous about it, I wouldn't risk it 

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 10/9/21 at 5:04am

KJisgroovy said: "It's unlikely to be longer than two and a half hours... but if you're nervous about it, I wouldn't risk it"

You never know, the Almeida production with Saoirse Ronan is a little over three hours. Which, admittedly, is insane for Macbeth

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 10/9/21 at 9:19am

I think it’s pretty safe to surmise runtime by looking at the 2-show schedule. It plays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. If it were 3 hours or more, the matinee would most likely start at 1 p.m., so I don’t think you’ll have any problem getting to City Center by 7 p.m.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 10/9/21 at 9:28am

I agree with all the posts above, but I will add:

If ITW starts at 7:00, and Macbeth starts at 2 - even if it’s 4 hours long you could still grab a quick bite to eat and make it to City Center with time to spare.

And there’s no way it’s 4 hours long.

So as long as you don’t have plans to go meet a friend at a sit-down restaurant between shows, I say go for it.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 10/9/21 at 9:52am

You will have plenty of time.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/9/21 at 11:59am

It's way too early to guess the running time of a show that hasn't even gone into rehearsal.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/9/21 at 2:29pm

Uncut, the script typically runs a little over two hours not including intermission. But Shakespeare is usually trimmed a bit nowadays…I think the production I adapted and directed was about two hours with intermission. That said, self-indulgent actors and directors can make any play go on forever…

[Lunalaaaaaaaa]

Posted: 10/10/21 at 1:00pm

2 hours and 30 minutes I'd say?

I'm surprised the run time hasn't been released yet.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 10/10/21 at 1:05pm

You’re surprised…? It hasn’t even been rehearsed

[JBroadway]

Posted: 10/10/21 at 1:14pm

Not only is it not rehearsed, Sam Gold might not even be done with his first round of cuts for his own pre-rehearsal prep work. 

I wouldn't expect the runtime until maybe a few weeks before previews start, and even then it will likely change through previews. So no, not surprising at all that it hasn't been announced.