Sir Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford — co-directors of “Macbeth” at the Park Avenue Armory — held court at a VIP reception after a performance of their show last week hosted by producer Colin Callender and his wife, Elizabeth.
Guests included the production’s Lady Macbeth, Alex Kingston, as well as Glenn Close, Nick Pileggi, Ellen Barkin, Julie Taymor, “Scandal” star Tony Goldwyn and Brian Dennehy.
Our spy reports, “We all made our way to an intimate gathering in a magnificent, wood-paneled room with a menacing, medieval, massive iron chandelier to nibble on cheese with the war-weary cast.”
During a battle scene, there’s an actual indoor rainstorm with Scottish clans in ankle-deep mud, and the audience sits in bleachers after following ushers along stone paths through fields and giant stone sculptures.
At the reception, Branagh pointed out that he’s taking a break from directing a very different project, the Disney film “Cinderella,” starring “Downton Abbey” actress Lily James, Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter.