The Dunsinane Two

In a final twist that would make Shakespeare turn in his grave Macbeth and his wife have been found not guilty of murdering King Duncan and Banquo.

That was the verdict of a one-night-only mock trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in which the case against the couple was examined with actors playing the defendants, judge and key witnesses.

Last night's performance, believed to be the first of its kind in a working court, was watched by 500 barristers, who were asked to decide verdicts on Lord and Lady Macbeth.

Former Spooks star Matthew Macfadyen and Shameless's Maxine Peake played the couple. Macbeth pleaded diminished responsibility, while Lady M claimed she was coerced. Toby Stephens, Toby Jones, Roger Lloyd Pack and Martin Shaw were also involved.

Leading QCs Anthony Arlidge, Dame Helena Kennedy and Bob Marshall-Andrews performed the roles of the barristers. Shaw, who plays Judge John Deed in the BBC drama, was the judge. He said: "You couldn't put a cigarette paper between the lawyers and the actors in terms of performance." Lloyd Pack, who played one of the witches, said there are lots of similarities between barristers and actors, adding: "Good barristers are usually rather good actors so actors and barristers are not actually that different.

"It was a fun experience and it's not often you get to be part of such a distinguished cast." In the end, the legal audience's verdict was "not guilty" of murder after accepting the couple's pleas of a lesser charge.

Shaw still sent the couple down. All good fun, and all in a good cause. The evening raised an estimated £15,000 for the Kalisher Scholarship, which enables students from less privileged backgrounds to train for the law.

The play, staged both in the present day and in Shakespeare's time, was written by Bafta award-winning screenwriter and playwright Peter Moffat.

"The script is rooted in Macbeth and it's about the play, but a lot of it is played for laughs," he said. "I've used the whole spectrum of time to maximise the fun we could have with it."

Stephens said the event was a "fantastic opportunity".

He said: "I've never been in court. My father-in-law is a criminal barrister and I've been to watch him once but that's the only experience of it so it was fascinating to act in front of the great and the good of the legal profession."