Macbeth - Directors Cut

In this essay I hope to get across the ideas that were originally
used by Shakespeare but applied to modern audience with modern ideals
and issues. I have included which scenes I would use and how I would
format them!

First of all I have decided to set my scenes on stage. This is because
of several reasons. Firstly that the original Macbeth would have been
set on a stage either in the Globe Theatre or in the royal court.
Secondly and more importantly I feel the stage is more realistic as it
is ongoing around the audience. The sound should also be more amplified
and real. Preferably I wouldn't mind a stage that is set in the middle
of the audience like an arena so everyone has an equal view of the
actors/dancers this is appropriate so everyone can see the
acting/dancing, the dancing in the witches scene is a counterpoint of
my production and needs to been seen by the audience. Although the
dialogue is also as important, the audience needs to see the actions
linked with the speeches. I have also decided to set these scenes as a
dance interpretation, this is very different from most productions
about Macbeth and is very original. The two scenes I have chosen are
Act 1, scene 3 and Act 5, scene 8 these scenes are very different from
each other in actors, atmosphere and setting. At first I am going to go
through both Act 1, scene 3 and Act 5, scene 8 explaining where it is
set, the costumes, the speech, the movement involved, the sounds and
lighting. I have used colour and movement to help draw out the themes
of 'Macbeth' for a modern audience.

I have decided to have no permanent setting for each scene, by this I
mean that the audience have use their imaginations along with the help
of lights and movement on stage. This also means that the black
background gives the stage an ethereal look, which helps support
Shakespeare's ideas of unsettledness and evil hiding in the shadows,
waiting to strike! For Act 1, scene 3 this is a good idea as it
contains the witches who are the personifications of pure evil, as
portrayed in the medieval times. As before there is also no background
for Act 5, scene 8. I have done this because it helps the audience
focus more on the issues put forward by Shakespeare in Macbeth rather
than the scenery. Also they aren't distracted but listen to the way the
actors deliver their lines and movements.

One of the most important aspects of Macbeth in Act 1, scene 3 are the
witches and how they are portrayed. I have decided against the usual
stereotypical idea of old women, hooked noses and warts galore. Even
though these would manage to scare some young children, I want my
witches to affect everyone, so I have decided to use men instead this
is clearly seen as un-natural as men are the ones who usually burn the
witches not become the witches. The costume consists of a black and
white body suit with jagged edges and a white mask with no facial
features apart from the eyeholes and mouth. All three wear the same
this gives the audience a sense of unity, a bond between all three of
them like a special club. I have chosen black and white as I see the
black as an infection of evil that influences the witch's
personalities. The white represents the idea that to have shadows you
need light so the witches are a product of the shadows. The mask hides
the identity of all three dancers. The bare feet them more scope for
movement and also it seems like they are impervious to the natural
elements around them as if they are one with the nature (that is evil
of course!). The witches play a very important part and so need to be
recognised and remembered. As it is these withes which provide a
catalyst of turmoil and death! In this scene the other than the witches
are Macbeth and Banquo. Macbeth's costume is the same design as the
witches but gold and red. This is to show that he is important and is
destined for greater things in life. The red symbolises the importance
in his life of competition such as war, which he has recently been in.
In addition, red represents danger such as many animals and insects in
nature have red as a warning. The gold shows superiority, he is in a
position of power. Banquo's costume is plainer in silver and blue -
this is because he is in a position, lower down than Macbeth in the
hierarchy of Scotland. However he is still an important character that
needs to be recognised by the audience early on in the production.
There are other characters such as Ross and Angus, these I feel do not
need such recognition and should have plain costumes such as a brown
but still have the same design of jagged edges on them.
In Act 5, scene 8 Macbeth's costume has changed. It has changed from
red and gold to red and black. This is showing the corruption that has
happened from the very beginning. I would like to add that this black
appears gradually through out the production as his madness steadily
increases. Macduff's costume shows his stance in the whole production
as the pure one so his costume is to white and gold. This would apply
to the audience as they see pureness as white e.g. angels. It is also
the standard of good against evil - white against black!

As both scenes are danced I have come to the conclusion, that instead
of dancers speaking that there should be voice-overs. Take the witches
for example - it would be scarier and ethereal if the voices seemed to
come from elsewhere also the witch's voices will be done by the same
person again to show unity and bonding. This means the audience focus
on the actions more than the words and see underlying issues that can
be applied to modern life today! It is dangerous to ignore
Shakespeare's words, as they are very moving and methodical in how he
lets his story unfurl. For the witch's voice I would look for a man who
has a deep and raspy voice or even a woman because it would be
different and the audience will expect with male actor a male voice but
they would be confused by the switching of voices - this is rather like
trickery and messing with peoples ideas of the world which is what the
witches do in Macbeth. For Macbeth's voice at the beginning it would
have to be and strong and sure, full of purpose and ideas.
Nevertheless, when it gets to Act 5, scene 8 it should be a voice of
madness and insecurity. To add to this I think that Macbeth's voice
should be said through grated teeth this makes him sound even madder
and insane! This I would like to mention should also appear in other
scenes slightly but in this one it is a voice of complete and utter
madness! Banquo's voice in Act 1, scene 3 is one of calm but
disbelieving - like mockery of the power these witches seem to
foretell. In addition, in this scene Angus and Ross' voices are
included but they I think should be just run of the mill, commoners
voices, as they in my opinion aren't really important in the whole
story. In Act 5, scene 8 Macduff's voice is calm, and poised for
action. His words should seem out of breathe and angry but still the
audience will be able to hear his words clearly. You get the idea of a
'calm before a storm' coming through.

Movement is clearly an important part of the Macbeth play, especially
in mine as it is an interpretive dance! All the dance moves should
place emphasis on certain words in the sentence the character is saying
at that time such as 'killing' (Act 1, scene 3, line 2). The witch's
movements when among themselves, they should be relaxed but fast as if
they are friends just chatting but when Macbeth and company arrives,
the movements should be slow and hypnotic as if casting a spell on the
audience, which is broken slightly when they speak. Macbeth's movements
in this scene are slow as he has just been fighting and is tired but
still contains energy, as if he is raring to go after hearing the
prophesy. In Act 5, scene 8 however his movements are still slow but
broken up this symbolises his lack of physical and mental strength at
this point in time. As you know Macduff defeats him so it does all fit
in. Macduff's movements should cool and measured, as with his voice
like before a 'calm before a storm', the audience should be able to
feel and see the energy and tension coiled beneath his movements
waiting for the right moment to strike. People like Angus and Ross
won't have any major dance parts to play, they can just act and move
with their words and create background characters - this helps the
audience again to focus on the story being told to them.

As this is set upon the stage the special effects I can use are very
limited. Only things such as indoor fire-works could be used or smoke
screens and wind machines could be used successfully but with limited
space to conceal them so I feel as a director not to involve these in
anyway. Sometimes plays are inundated with special effects and it draws
attention away from the action actually being played upon the
stage.
Sound effects will play an important part in the production of Macbeth
especially in scenes such as Act 1, scene 3 where the witches are
comparing their days. For example (act 1, scene 3, line 9) it says '
I'll give thee a wind' at this point I would like to hear a wind sound
that emphasises the action done by the dancer. I hope to get these
sounds at critical points in the production so it sets off the whole
play and brings the audience into the play rather than just seeing a
flat surface like on the television or cinema. However, the sounds
effects are needed in the Act 1, scene 3. I feel that Act 5, scene 8
shouldn't have sound effects at all. This is because it is a turning
point in the whole play, an important death and for some strange
ethereal reason I feel that the single sound that can be heard on the
scene apart from the voices is toll of bells on the exact moment
Macbeth is killed. This harks back to the idea of 'Bring out your dead'
during plague times I feel it has the effect of seeming coincidental as
if the bells are in conjunction with the witches, that this is their
ultimate goal, I hope the audience can see this as I can.
Nevertheless lighting effects are also important in both scenes due to
the fact that there isn't a background as such. During Act 1, scene 3
there is a mixture of different lighting. At the beginning it'll be
dark slowly getting lighter - this is so the witches can emerge as
creatures of shadows and evil. Then when Macbeth arrives the light
appears full blast showing the contrast between him and the witches.
This shall dim slightly as the witches begin their foretelling and
purple and green lights - which I believe represent death (rigor mortis
colours) light their faces. The light helps the witches disappear. To
do this successfully I see them holding hands in a line looking up at
the sky/ceiling three spotlights fall upon them (like alien abduction)
and suddenly wink out as if they have actually disappeared and the
other dancers will quickly get off stage, leaving the audience puzzled
and bemused at the modern escape route in what is supposedly a
old-fashioned play! In Act 5, scene 8 there will be only two spotlights
- a bright, powerful one and a slightly dim light with red flecks in
it. The bright light will be aimed at Macduff - I need to play it quite
heavily on the fact that he is the ultimate goodness, the saviour
rather like a religious idol or god. The dim, red-flecked light will of
course be aimed at Macbeth the opposite of Macduff, so if Macduff was
God then Macbeth must of course play the devil. At the time this was
written it was a religious upheaval in England and Shakespeare who was
a Christian, was actually writing about his views on the matter and was
in fact saying 'God will win through in the end'. To show Macbeth's
death the already dim light shall get dimmer to show life slowly
dissipating and finally ending.
In conclusion I feel that my production of Macbeth would be quite
successful as it contains a lot of symbolism that can transfer onto
issues in the modern society. Macbeth as a play is timeless and can in
fact be set anywhere, anytime. I feel that my production would contain
a lot of energy as it is a dance but I hope it would have the effect of
making people think about the issues brought forward such as greed and
competition make them leave thinking 'woah, that applies to me' or
along those lines. My aim is to get them to think for themselves and
make conclusions for themselves as well on how this applies to modern
life.