Daniel Craig’s return to Broadway in ‘Macbeth’, Shakespeare’s timeless Scottish tragedy, has been halted since the ‘James Bond’ star tested COVID positive. 

Matinee and evening performances, for Saturday, were cancelled and it was not made clear when Craig will return to the stage. However, considering protocols, it could take several days. 

The Shakespeare revival sees Ruth Negga of ‘The Preacher’ fame, stepping into the role of Lady Macbeth. The story follows King Duncan’s trusted general, Macbeth, who wins glories at war but becomes morally corrupted upon hearing the prophecies of three witches who claim he shall be king. Upon sharing this incident with his wife, Macbeth is convinced to murder Duncan and take the throne for himself. 

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After the couple plot and execute the murder, Macbeth goes down a dark path which includes the assassination of his best friend Banquo and an attempt to silence all voices of dissent in Scotland. Ultimately, Duncan’s son returns to defeat Macbeth, with help from others, and fulfil the final prophecy of the witches. 

As per folklore, a coven of witches actually cursed the play since they had objections to Shakespeare using real incantations in his story. Several productions of Macbeth have been plagued by accidents and delays. 

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Craig last appeared in a Broadway show when he played a part, opposite his wife Rachel Weisz, in the Mike Nichols-directed iteration of Harold Pinter’s ‘Betrayal’. He will next be seen in ‘Knives Out 2’, the follow up to the murder mystery helmed by Rian Johnson. Craig plays detective Benoit Blanc in the film which is currently in the post-production stage. 

The recent ‘Macbeth’ cancellation joins a list of Broadway shows that have not taken place after the actor got COVID. This includes ‘The Music Man’, which faced a stumble when lead Hugh Jackman contracted COVID.