 In 1915 and 1918 , Sybil Thorndike played the role at Old Vic and then at the Prince 's Theatre in 1926 . Flora Robson played the role in Tyrone Guthrie 's Old Vic production in 1934 . In 1955 , Vivien Leigh played Lady Macbeth opposite Laurence Olivier at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford @-@ upon @-@ Avon . In 1977 at The Other Place in Stratford , Judi Dench and Ian McKellen played the infamous husband and wife in Trevor Nunn 's production . Other notable Lady Macbeths in the late 20th century included Judith Anderson , Pamela Brown , Diana Wynyard , Simone Signoret , Vivien Merchant , Jane <unk> , Helen Mirren and Janet <unk> . 
