Brisbane Festival 2010 audiences will experience a host of events ‘alfresco’, as the QUT Festival Theatre – a custom built amphitheatre - takes up residence at the Brisbane Powerhouse for festival month, this September.

Designed by Justin Nardella from Bright Young Things, QUT Festival theatre will host an extravaganza of circus, sideshow, music and drama throughout Brisbane Festival 2010.

Performances including Shakespeare’s Macbeth staring Australian acting stalwart Marcus Graham.  Experience a magnetic rendition of this, undoubtedly one of Shakespeare’s most quoted and famous plays, as Graham takes to the stage alongside Helen Christinson in the role of Lady Macbeth and under the direction of Michael Gow.

Shakespeare’s last and shortest tragedy was penned in the early seventeenth century and is considered by many as his darkest work. This celebrated tale of unhealthy ambition and lust for power combines murder, madness, human evil, guilt and the supernatural into one of the most performed works by history’s most famous playwright.

Often referred to as “the bard’s play” or “the Scottish play”, the famous superstition surrounding Macbeth claims that any company performing the play will be beset with bad luck. The mere mention of the name inside the theatre will strike fear into cast and crew.

Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Noel Staunton says “I am particularly excited that the festival can present Marcus Graham and Helen Christinson in their first lead Shakespearean roles. And in our purpose built QUT Festival Theatre, under the stars with the beautiful Brisbane Powerhouse brick wall as a backdrop and a minimalist set - it’s going to be magic.”

The other productions at QUT Festival Theatre include two new productions by Brisbane’s internationally acclaimed Circa a musical tribute to Brisbane from singing sensation Robert Forster, a nightmarish comedy by Edinburgh Fringe Festival hit The Dark Party (by Dirty Brothers Sideshow), Casey Donovan in her new show 'Big, Beautiful and Sexy!', strings-sax-piano quintet Topology and a mind blowing dance and percussion stage spectacular from Raw Dance.