AN eight-year-old Redditch boy is following in his ancestors' footsteps by showing a flair for Shakespearean acting.

Keen actor Alex Noake-Muscroft, of Headless Cross, is a direct descendant of William Charles Macready (1793-1873), a fine Shakespearean actor and great friend of Charles Dickens.

Alex will be starring as young McDuff and young Fleance in an MDCC Theatre Company production of Macbeth at the Quality Hotel gardens on Sunday.

His mum Petrina said Alex and his four-year-old brother Callum Muscroft, who attend St Luke's First School both have a love of acting.

Mrs Muscroft said: "Alex has been acting for three years while Callum is just starting.

"But Callum is quite keen to act too - he asked if he could stand in for Alex if he was properly murdered in his role as McDuff!"

Mrs Muscroft also said Alex's love of the stage started when the MDCC, which Petrina has been involved in since 1988, needed a child actor for a particular part in one of its productions.

"He has also played Mamillias in A Winter's Tale and last year was involved in the Merchant of Venice even though there are no parts in it for children.

"He was so enthusiastic that he was given the roles of servants and messengers," she said.

The MDCC will be taking Macbeth to the Lichfield Festival, Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Pembroke Castle as well as the Quality Hotel.

The cast will also travel to Frankfurt for a week in October and perform there.

Tickets to see Macbeth at the Southcrest venue cost £5 or £4 (concessions) from 541511 or from Redditch Information Centre, Civic Square.

The performance starts at 2.30pm and audiences are invited to bring their own seats or rugs.

There are also some free youth tickets available.