So what are the challenges that one can fin where that underlying confidence is put to the test, where it's back to the exciting and mysterious days of "Will this work?"

Kindy Macbeth was the answer.

The youngest cast I'd worked with intensively was 2002's Year 2, which ultimately mounted a version of Ray Bradbury's All Summer in a Day that went to State Drama. So when the opportunity rolled into view to take a Kinder class (with the fringe benefit of getting out of sport on a Friday), it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Tested the waters gingerly in term one with a version of The Three Pigs, then having sussed out the diverse qualities of the potential cast, it was on to Macbeth.

And for a while it really was like the old days - "What are you doing with Kindergarten drama?"

"Macbeth"

"Macbeth?"

"Yeah. It's the four-hundredth birthday of the play this year, as well as the tenth anniversary of our Macbeth movie, so I thought I'd give it a go."

"Good luck with that."

I write a ten minute story-book script carried by a narrator, which I would ve. I also did this with The Three Pigs. It was a very story-book/choral rehearsal process which went very smoothly throughout.

Towards the end, I began to push them a little harder, and did extensive face exercises on looking genuine - genuine sadness, genuine rage, genuine fear - which the kids teated a a game. The results were entirely pleasing, and I think began to have a feedback effect on the overall performances, particularly the body language.

It was tremendous fun hearing some of the speeches. For example, "Double, Double was lifted right out of the text without alteration. So was "Out, damn spot. " The play was sanitised somewhat for the target audience and players. No one is killed, they're just "never heard from again."

Originally I had intended to use the original Macbeth costumes, which are still in good repair and which have been used for other productions, notably Time Trial, but the cast proved a trifle diminutive for the outfits. Too much the "giant's robe on a dwarfish thief".

Instead I used some silver insulation stuff kindly donated by my student teacher - you know, those rolls that are used to line the inside of roofs. Cut into throwover shapes as with the good old costumes from Henry V, emblazoned with shields colured in by the kids and laminated, and accoutered with the many swords gathered down through many production years, and there you have it.

The smoke machine was put to good use as well - talk about atmosphere. For music, the orginal soundtrack by Glen Op Den Brouw fit the bill to perfection - naturally enough.