After the witches have vanished and Macbeth is proclaimed thane of Cawdor the actors should start hiding things from each other and make this noticeable by starting to stand further apart. At this point Macbeth and Banquo do not trust each other as much anymore we can tell this because Macbeth starts speaking aside and talking to himself and the audience.
‘Glamis and thane of Cawdor: the greatest is behind’,
This suggests that he does not trust Banquo as much anymore because he is talking to himself, which show he is going mad, and it sounds like he is plotting to do something.
Although Macbeth is starting not to trust Banquo, Banquo still is loyal to Macbeth. ‘The instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles – to betrays in deepest consequence’
Banquo is being a friend and trying to warn Macbeth that the witches were trying to make Macbeth do something bad. The actors must show Banquo's feelings to Macbeth through their facial expressions, movement, tone of voice and gestures to make it clear to the audience what is going on.
By act 3 scene 1 Macbeth flatters Banquo a lot and acts really nice to him but inside he really hates him. The actor playing Macbeth most put on a forced friendly voice almost speaking through his teeth he must act like Banquo is his friend again but make his voice and gestures show the audience he is forcing it. When Macbeth first sees Banquo he says to him ‘Heres our chief guest’ Macbeth is flattering Banquo and trying to make him feel special and be really nice to him, to try and make up for what he has and will do to Banquo.
While Macbeth is trying to be nice to Banquo every so often the actor must snap at Banquo and change his voice to a fierce one for a second or two when asking Banquo questions because Macbeth while being nice is trying to keep tabs on Banquo and trying to interrogate him without actually sounding like he is doing so.
‘Ride you this afternoon?’
‘Goes Fleance with you?’
Macbeth starts to ask Banquo a lot of unnecessary questions because he is trying to make sure Banquo does not run away, Banquo starts to get suspicious of this. They are both by this time true enemy but in secret.
My advice to the people playing Macbeth and Banquo would therefore be to match their behaviour towards each other to their state of mind at the time. For the actor playing Macbeth this would mean making clear the difference between the outer man, when he is talking to others. And the inner man where he hides his true feelings. For the actor playing Banquo, by contrast, he is what he seems – an honest soldier.
