Yon streaming knave NICK OVERALL doth seeth qualities most virtuous in a new version of Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play”.

MORE than 400 years since the death of Shakespeare and it’s as clear as ever that Will still thrills.

From Baz Luhrmann’s ‘90s romp “Romeo + Juliet” (Disney+) to Netflix’s political thriller “House of Cards”, adaptations of the Bard’s works remain entrenched in the zeitgeist, often more than many realise.

One of Disney’s most beloved animated outings of all time, “The Lion King”, is a disguised retelling of “Hamlet”… understandably with a little less brutal killing than what its author originally put to paper.

A string of modern comedies also source humour from Shakespeare. “10 Things I Hate About You”, “She’s The Man”, “Warm Bodies” – all taken from plays written hundreds of years ago.

Now streaming on Apple TV+ is the newest adaptation of “Macbeth”, a film starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as the famous conniving couple in 11th century Scotland.

“The Tragedy of Macbeth”, as the film calls itself, strips the famous play right down to its core elements and on an entertainment level makes it work like a charm. 

Shakespearean movies can have a problem of drooping, losing the energy of the stage in their transition to the screen, but director Joel Coen cuts this new flick down to 100 minutes of the most important stuff and amps up the action.

Even the colours are pulled back to a spectral black and white cinematography that Washington and McDormand play in the shadows of to a brilliantly eerie effect. It can be easy to forget just how creepy “Macbeth” is, and this rendition emphasises those creeps to give it new flavour.

Washington is fierce as the would-be king, but McDormand steals the show as Lady Macbeth descending into guilt-ridden mania.

Monolithic sets form simple, yet beautiful backdrops that somehow exude cinematic grandiosity while also looking like something one would see on stage.

Those keen on watching may need some brushing up on their Shakespeare though. The film is spoken in unfiltered Shakespearean language and taken right from the pages of the original play. 

As such, those unfamiliar with the dialect or plot of “Macbeth” may find it tricky to keep up with, but it still makes for a great entry point to the wordsmith, one that might even turn the heads of some daydreaming, high-school English students.

It’s certainly not the first time in recent years “Macbeth” has been brought to modern entertainment, and it won’t be the last.

One of the most popular modern takes on the play is Netflix’s “House of Cards”, which cast Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright as a power couple murderously hunting a seat in the oval office.

While mainly inspired by “Macbeth”, the show borrowed heavily from many of Shakespeare’s plays and transported the plot from 11th century Scotland to 21st century America.

Unfortunately, “House of Cards” veered off the rails towards its ending majorly fuelled by the sexual misconduct allegations against Spacey while the show was still in production. Still, the compelling early seasons make it a show that is easy to recommend, if viewers can get past the bitter taste left by the controversy. 

MUSICAL fans may be excited by Steven Spielberg’s new cinematic take on the classic “West Side Story”, which is currently in cinemas and set to hit streaming later this year (likely on Disney+ or Binge).

It’s the second filmic take on the famous musical, the first being 1961’s classic that can be found on Stan, and tells the story of rivalling New York street gangs the Jets and the Sharks and the forbidden love story between two of their members.

Sound familiar? It’s widely known that the musical reincarnated “Romeo and Juliet” in ’50s Manhattan, replacing the warring Capulet and Montague families with opposing gangsters.

This rendition promises a stunning new cinematic take on the musical and while audiences are promised it’ll make an appearance on streaming later this year, it does seem this one, similar to “The Tragedy of Macbeth”, would be far better enjoyed on the big screen.

To stream, or not to stream?