Macbeth, York Theatre Royal, February 28 to March 19

FLASHBACK to March 2000, when Terence Maynard was rehearsing the title role in York Theatre Royal's production of Othello.

"The great thing about playing this part is, I don't think Hamlet and Macbeth, Shakespeare's other tragic characters, have such an emotional range to go through as this man," he said.

Fast forward to February 2005, and he is rehearsing in York once more, this time for the title role as one of those "other tragic characters", Macbeth.

Would he like to reconsider his earlier assessment?

"To a certain degree I'm right with what I said. Macbeth doesn't show as much emotion as Othello. Othello was roaring, or certainly he was the way I played him, whereas this guy is psychological, always in contact with his psyche, so he's like his own Iago.

"He locks down his emotions much more than Othello does," says Terence, his baritone voice filling the impromptu interview room at the Theatre Royal's rehearsal space.

Comparing the two tragic leads, he says: "I do think there are differences in the Holy Grail for each one. With Othello, his wife Desdemona is his emotional thing, he's heart-driven and Iago plays on that weakness. With Macbeth, what he wants is much more material and less emotional, and the question is how do you attain your material rewards? It's much more to do with greed and lust, rather than playing on any weakness."

Is Macbeth the brighter of the two men? "I don't know who's more intelligent. You'd have to see them in action on the battlefield and see who wins!" says Terence.

"Certainly Macbeth is trying to get something in this material world we live in; we're all chasing dreams but he's much more aware of it than Othello, and he's much more in control of his own downfall."

Othello, wound up to breaking point by Iago, makes one decision with fatal consequences. Macbeth, by comparison, becomes ever more steeped in blood through a series of bloody decisions.

"I can't get into the mind of a serial killer, but my instinct is that the first time he kills, it has to be repulsive but the more he does it, the more he can't stop himself from doing it again," Terence says.

He feels ready to play Macbeth, a role that explores the darkest depths of human aspiration.

"I don't know whether there comes a right time, but for me, this is the time. I do recognise that I'm 35, I'm getting older, and the things that I want - a successful career, wealth - are material things, and you think, 'Well, are they going to come?'.

"So, in those terms, I can slightly understand what's going on in Macbeth's head, in that I've tasted a certain amount of success and want more, but then you wonder when you're going to go over the edge of that success. Do you run after it or do you let it go?" Terence ponders.

At present, his career is on the upward curve. Later this year, possibly in November, maybe earlier depending on the distribution deal in the United States, he will be appearing in Guy Ritchie's latest gangster movie, Revolver.

"It's a gangster movie but with a twist...it's hugely underpinned by religion," he says.

"It's set in America, though we actually filmed it in the Isle of Man and London, with settings that look very American but also have a placeless, timeless quality.

"I play French Paul, though there's nothing French about him! He's the right-hand man to Ray Liotta's Mr D, who owns lots of casinos, and he's a fix-it man who gets told to make things happen."

In the meantime, Shakespeare's supernatural witches will be encouraging Terence's Macbeth to make things happen at York Theatre Royal.

Macbeth, York Theatre Royal, February 28 to March 19. Box office: 01904 623568.

Updated: 10:49 Friday, February 18, 2005