The story of MacBeth is a tragedy as are many of Shakespeare’s plays; it depicts how the need for power and money often leads to tragic consequences. Macbeth falls to his desires and turns him from a high, powerful and respected man to an evil, wicked, tyrant murderer. The scene I am focusing on is a significant scene because it shows a turning point in many of the characters especially Macbeth. The main themes dealt with in this play are blood, supernatural, evil, disorder, chaos and madness.
Act 3 scene 4 begins with the entrance of MacBeth and Lady MacBeth; they are greeted by a room full of guests for the state banquet. The lighting should be dim indicating something strange or somewhat unnerving was in the midst of happening. The long tables will be filled with food for the banquet typical of that era such as whole pigs. The tables will be set slightly diagonal with the table on the right of the stage facing out to the right and the table on the left facing out to the left. In between the two tables at the far end will be the banquet table for MacBeth, Lady MacBeth, Ross, Lennox and some Lords. The light on this table will be slightly brighter to portray its importance.
The actors will be wearing dark colours in traditional costume for that time; the main characters who illustrate more emotion will wear mood colours representing the way they are feeling or perhaps how they will feel in the near future. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will both be dressed in black symbolising death and disseat and off white to portray the purity and innocence they have been trying to show in front of the guests, but off white is a colour that will show impurities easily which incorporates the idea that the secret my soon be uncovered. Another reason I chose these colours is because I felt they show the drastic contrast between the way Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were before they entangled themselves in murders. The murders will match Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the sense they will be wearing black symbolising the death they just caused but they will also be wearing red for the blood as a result of the murder. As Macbeth is giving his speech the murders arrive through a large wooden door on the left side of the stage, they are noticed by Macbeth and so he goes to ask whether job was done.
A spot light will follow Macbeth across the stage and as he goes the stage behind him will gradually fade until only a silhouette of the banquet can be seen turning all attention on Macbeth with the murders. When Macbeth says ‘There’s blood upon thy face’ there will be a quick red flash to emphasis this line and the reason the blood is there. Macbeth will have a devilish smirk as he is praising the murders but once he hears ‘Fleance is ‘scap’d’ his expression will drop and he will clench his fists with widened eyes before explaining how everything would have been perfect if the boy hadn’t gotten away. As he says ‘but now I am cabin’d, cribbed, confined…’ he will put his hands on the crown of his head to hide his face and physically express is feelings.
Once the murders leave through the door again the lights will slowly brighten up the stage. The ghost of Banquo will have come and taken a seat at the banquet table on the right of the room with his back to the audience during the dialogue between Macbeth and the murders. I chose to bring the ghost at this time because he would come unnoticed. Macbeth will be asked to sit at the right banquet table by Ross, Macbeth will scan the table and mention that ‘the table’s full’, when he is told there is a ‘place reserv’d’ he will frown and ask ‘where?’. At this point there will be a flash and the ghost will disappear to show the audience the table from the other characters view. The ghost will quickly go beneath the table over which will be a table cloth during this point. Macbeth will look around puzzled and frightened when another flash will occur and the ghost will reappear and slowly turn around to expose its identity. Macbeth will begin to shake and stare before him in terror; he will then shout looking around the stage ‘which of you have done this?’ Lady Macbeth will go to Macbeth’s side. The guests will freeze and the lights on them will dim and a spotlight will brighten in the couple. The other characters will still be visible but the attention will be drawn to Macbeth. This light arrangement and background still image will portray the dialogue spoken between Macbeth and his wife can only be heard them.
He will rub his eyes as they converse and relax as he realises it was imagination and makes a toast to all the guests and Banquo.
Suddenly there will be another flash and the ghost of Banquo will reappear at the table, Macbeth will once again start to shake but more vigorously and his eyes open wider. Banquo will stand up (both characters will be side ways to the audience) and begin walking towards him during which a red light will flash repeatedly, connecting this with the point when Macbeth mentions the blood on the murders face. Banquo will wear navy blue; his clothes will be ripped and covered in blood. His face will be cut and filled with blood one eye will be swollen shut, and flesh that is showing will be blue but extremely light so that it is almost white to show he is cold as a result of being dead. Macbeth will be stumbling backwards he will then fall to the ground just before he reaches the other table and cover his face with his hands whilst shouting ‘Avaunt…glare with’. Lady Macbeth will drop to his side and begin talking to him trying to calm him down.
The flashing red light will stop leaving the stage in complete darkness so the ghost can leave and then slowly as if being cautious (to make the audience wonder what happened), the normal lights will illuminate the stage. The guests will come out of the still image and once asked to leave will file out. The two will remain on the floor until Lady Macbeth says ‘You lack the season of all natures, sleep’, she will stand up and help Macbeth up as he finishes the scene with a sly smirk. They will both exit the stage enabling it to welcome the dramatic arrival of the witches in the next scene.
This scene should be exciting with lots of flashes and illusions to emphasis the themes. It should create an unnerving atmosphere and keep the audience on their toes.
