'Masterpiece' BBC period drama by 'greatest author of all time' is streaming free

The beloved tragedy has been adapted numerous times over the years. It is believed the play was written in 1606, about a year after Guy Fawkes and the Gun Powder plot was thwarted by King James I. Macbeth was recently voted William Shakespeare's second-best play, with Hamlet securing the coveted top spot. He is also considered one of the greatest writers that Britain has ever produced. The BBC's 1983 adaptation of the tragic story is currently available to stream for free on iPlayer. Macbeth's popularity has continued to soar and is universal, as the story delves into greed, betrayal and guilt.

Thomas Nicol Williamson stars as Macbeth in the adaptation. The British actor, who died aged 75 in 2011, has been described as "the greatest actor since Marlon Brando" and "touched by genius" by John Osborne and Samuel Beckett, respectively. Jane Lapotaire stars as Lady Macbeth in the tragic tale.

The plot explores the toxic, psychological effects of greed through the rise and fall of the respected but power-hungry war hero Macbeth and his wife.

Macbeth and his wife murder Duncan in order to gain his crown, but the bloodbath doesn't stop there, and the supernatural combine to bring about his downfall.

Fans are still praising the television drama 42 years after its release as reviewers praised the film as a "masterpiece".

While the TV adaptation has received 7 out of 10 on IMDB, one declared that while its a "dark film" it was brilliantly done.

They shared: "Although this is a rather dark film, Macbeth was written as a dark play and therefore is very fitting. The way that this film was done reflects the difficulties of converting a successful and ageless stage production into a filmic production. It is filmed and acted in a way that expresses the actors' stage presence and ability while exercising the many capacities that cameras have."

"The BBC Television Shakespeare series is of great interest and a must see for anyone wanting mostly faithful productions with talented casts, even if the quality of the production values throughout the series is variable and some productions are better than others," a second commented.

A third shared the actor's had stuck to "Shakespeare's true vision" as they explained: "I actually prefer Nicol Williamson's Macbeth to Sir Ian McKellen. He is far more believable in the role.

"I believe Williamson to be one of the better Shakespearean actors. Even Jane Lapotaire's Lady Macbeth is better than Dame Judi Dench's performance."

Macbeth is available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer