With critics such as the New York Post's Donald Lyon's raving that "The Connecticut Macbeth should have opened on Broadway," one might wish New York could see another Scottish play this year. No go, say the International Festival of Arts and Ideas press representatives, unless a theatregoer is willing to hike up to New Haven, where the show runs through June 25 at the Long Wharf Theatre. Tickets are "scarce," but still available.

Having played at London's Young Vic through June 3, this Royal Shakespeare production received strong reviews in England and from New York, especially for the Macbeth, Antony Sher, and his Lady, Harriet Walter. Gregory Doran directs this tale of ambition leading to murder leading to madness.

Joining Sher and Walter are Ken Bones (Banquo), John Dougall (Malcolm), Trevor Martin (Duncan), Paul Webster (Ross) and Stephen Noonan (The Porter).

Sher was last seen in the United States as painter Stanley Spencer in Stanley at Broadway's Circle in the Square. He was universally acclaimed (and wrote a book on his experiences) as Shakespeare's Richard the Third. In 2000, he received an Olivier nomination for his portrayal of Leontes in The Winter's Tale.

Macbeth runs as part of the Long Wharf's International Festival of Arts and Ideas. For information on the Long Wharf Theatre, call (203) 787-4282 or visit them on the web at at http://www.longwharf.org. The Internatinal Festival of Arts and Ideas is on the web at http://www.artidea.org. Other Shakespeare plays include Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus, Romeo and Juliet and The Comedy of Errors.

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Sher's Macbeth shares the same closing date as the unsuccessful Broadway mounting starring Kelsey Grammer as the Thane who would be king and Diane Venora as his wife. That production began previews at the Music Box Theatre June 9, opening June 15 to mixed to negative reviews. A closing notice was posted sometime during the past weekend.