Actors will stage the macabre Shakespearean play Macbeth in Vietnamese.

The Youth Theatre production was based on the play staged by veteran director Le Hung in 2002, which has been performed 68 times, said Truong Nhuan, the theatre's deputy director, adding that it was enthusiastically received in China particularly because of the Asian theatrical motifs used in the scene depicting the death of Macbeth's wife.

Youth Theatre actors have been given lectures in Western literature by theatre critic Nguyen Thi Minh Thai ahead of their trip to London.

"The play is very Vietnamese in character because director Hung used dances from Vietnamese tuong (classical opera)," Nhuan said.

Lady Macbeth died in a "blood" fillet, without a word being uttered. Yet the scene will be well-understood by theatre-goers because the play was widely known, Nhuan added.

Anh Tu, who plays Macbeth, said: "I'm very enthusiastic about playing Macbeth. I have performed in many classical plays from around the world and am not short on experience. I am delighted to have been given the chance to play this part."