That "crown-wrenching couple," those mixers of "treason and necromancy" are back -- and Berkeley Repertory Theatre's got `em. They're Lord and Lady Macbeth, and at Berkeley they're being played by Carl Lumbly and L. Scott Caldwell. The production runs through April 4.

Lumbly, former artistic director of San Francisco's Eureka Theatre, played Detective Petrie on TV's "Cagney And Lacey." He starred as Creon on Broadway in The Gospel At Colonus and as Oberon in the NY Shakespeare Festival's Midsummer Night's Dream. Caldwell won a Tony for Joe Turner's Come And Gone and will come to Broadway in the fall in Proposals, Neil Simon's latest.

Now more than midway through its run, the show is juggling its schedule to accommodate a TV-film commitment for Lumbly, who will appear in the TNT broadcast of "Buffalo Soldiers" with Danny Glover. Replacing Glover from March 25 on will be Remi Sandri, who currently plays Banquo. (Lumbly will reappear for two performances, March 28 and 29 only.) Sandri is a six-year veteran of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Stepping in for Banquo will be Charles Shaw Robinson, who starred in Dancing At Lughnasa at Berkeley Rep.

Also starring in Macbeth are Joe Vincent as Duncan, Sheffield Chastain and Peter J. Macon as Malcolm and Donalbain, David Drummond as Macduff, Lisa Wolpe, Yumi Ann Sumida, Charles Dean, June A. Lomena, Andy Murray, Eric Newton and Asa Siegel.

Artistic director Tony Taccone will stage the drama, which tells of the "Thane of Glamis," told by three witches that he'll be king of Scotland and will never be harmed by "one of woman born." He and the missus hasten these events by murdering the current king, leading to the ambitious couple's downfall. Christopher Barreca designed the set for the tragedy, Gabriel Berry the costumes, and Peter Maradudin the lighting. The show's music is composed by Larry Delinger, the fights choreographed by John Sipes.

For tickets ($30-$39) and information on the Scottish Play production at Berkeley Rep call (510) 845 4700.

--By David Lefkowitz