THE POCKET OXFORD THEATRE COMPANY

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Macbeth

SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616)

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England in 1564. His parents were quite rich and he attended a grammar school where he studied Greek and Latin. He married Anne Hathaway in 1582. Shakespeare then moved to London to become a playwright and actor with the successful theatre company The Lord Chamberlain's Men. The company would later change its name to The King's Men in 1603. Shakespeare remained with the company until he retired in 1610.

Shakespeare's earliest plays date from 1590 and by 1597 he was sufficiently rich to buy the second largest house in Stratford. The following year he became a partner in the new Globe Theatre, London. He wrote 37 plays in total and 154 sonnets (lyrical poems of 14 lines). His plays are categorized into three genres; comedy, tragedy and history plays. 'Macbeth', his shortest tragedy, was written between 1603 and 1607. His last play ('The Tempest') being written in 1611, after which he retired to Stratford, where he died in 1616, aged 52.

Shakespeare was alive during the late Renaissance, which in England is referred to as the Elizabethan Era; as Queen Elizabeth I was Britain’s first female monarch. Queen Elizabeth I was an active and generous patron of the theatre who stood against the Puritans who wished to close down the theatres. Without her support the Elizabethan theatres would not have survived. Shakespeare is still regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest playwright, although he is often referred to as 'the bard', which simply means the poet.

The house in which Shakespeare was born, Stratford-Upon-Avon.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE & ANNE HATHAWAY

Anne Hathaway grew up in Shottery, a small village just to the west of Stratford-upon-Avon. Her father, Richard, was a wealthy farmer and the house in which she grew up still exists as a major tourist attraction. After the death of her parents, Anne married Shakespeare in November 1582 when she was 26 years old; Shakespeare was only eighteen. It was common at this time for women, such as Anne, whose parents had died, to stay at home to care for their younger brothers and sisters and marry in their late twenties, often to younger eligible men. However, because Anne was pregnant with their first child Susanna when they got married, some people believe they had a rushed "shotgun wedding" to save embarrassment. The couple later had twins named Hamnet and Judith in 1585. It has often been inferred that Shakespeare came to dislike his wife, but there is no existing documentation or correspondence to support this (although in his will he only left her his "second best bed"!). For most of their married life, Shakespeare lived in London writing and performing his plays, while Anne remained in Stratford. However he returned to Stratford for a period every year and when he retired from the theatre in 1613, he chose to live in Stratford with Anne rather than London. Anne Hathaway died in 1623 at the age of 67, seven years after the death of her husband.

Exterior of The Globe Theatre,

London

Interior of The Globe Theatre, London

THEATRES

Before the first theatres were built in England, actors travelled around the country in groups known as 'players'. They travelled and performed in wagons and carried portable stages which the audience would stand around to watch their simple productions, usually based on religious stories. The first purpose-built theatre was erected in 1576 by James Burbage, and simply called 'The Theatre'. Due to its popularity, by 1600 there were a number of playhouses in London. 'The Theatre' was pulled down in 1598 and was rebuilt in a new location and renamed 'The Globe'. This became the theatre where Shakespeare would perform and stage his plays.

The Globe was a three-story open air building which could hold up to 3,000 people, thus making theatre in Shakespeare's day as popular by today’s standards as a football match or pop concert.Spectators (nicknamed 'groundlings') could pay one penny to stand and watch the play or pay two-pence to sit in one of the many galleries. The very rich often paid for a seat on the stage itself.

At this time, in the theatre there was little or no scenery; the plays were always performed in daylight (as there was no lighting); and there were only basic costumes and props. Women were not allowed to act in the plays, and instead young boys played all the female roles.

In 1642, all the theatres in England were closed by the English Parliament, due to pressure from the Puritans.

Why the Puritans were against the Globe Theatre

The Globe theatre and its plays were a new idea. The Globe theatre attracted huge crowds - up to 3000 people. The theatres were also used for bear-baiting and gambling. The crowds attracted a broad cross section of society as well as thieves, gamblers, pickpockets, beggars, prostitutes and all kinds of criminals.

The Puritans were an extreme group of Protestants who adhered to strict religious principles and opposed all sensual pleasures. Many Puritans thought that theatres were evil and wanted them all closed. Respectable citizens were worried about the rise in crime, fighting and drinking...not to mention the danger of so many people in one space and the spread of the Bubonic Plague.

In 1642, under the force of the Puritans, the English Parliament closed the theatres. All actors were to be arrested and whipped, and anyone caught watching a play would be fined 5 shillings. The Globe Theatre was pulled down.

In 1660 the theatres were reopened, but the Globe theatre would not be rebuilt for another 350 years, not until 1997!

SYNOPSIS of 'MACBETH' by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

'Macbeth' is perhaps William Shakespeare's greatest tragedy. The themes in the play include ambition, fate, deception, greed, corruption and treachery. Macbeth, Thane of Glamis, is one of King Duncan's greatest war captains. Upon returning from a battle Macbeth and Banquo encounter three witches. A prophecy is given to them: Macbeth is hailed as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor, and King; Banquo is hailed as the father of kings to come. With that, the witches evaporate into the mists. Both men nervously laugh off the prophecies until Duncan informs Macbeth that he is to be made Thane of Cawdor as a reward for his service to the king. When Lady Macbeth is informed of the events, she wants him to take his fate into his own hands and make himself king. But Duncan happens to be inconveniently in the way....

Macbeth at first is reluctant to do harm to Duncan. However, when Duncan makes arrangements to visit the castle, the opportunity presents itself too boldly to ignore. Encouraged by his wife, they plot Duncan's death. Lady Macbeth gets Duncan's attendants drunk; Macbeth slips in with his dagger, and kills the king. Immediately Macbeth feels the guilt and shame of his act, as does Lady Macbeth, who nonetheless finds the inner strength to return to Duncan's chamber to plant the dagger on the King's drunken guards. When the body is discovered, Macbeth

immediately kills the guards in order to silence them. Malcolm and Donalbain, Duncan's sons, both flee Scotland (fearful for their own lives). To everyone else, it appears that the sons have been the chief conspirators, and Macbeth is crowned King of Scotland, thus fulfilling the witches' prophecy. Banquo, however, has suspicions of his own based on their encounter with the witches.

Macbeth knows of Banquo's suspicions and the reasons for them; he is also wary of the second prophecy concerning Banquo's offspring. As he prepares for a celebratory banquet on his coronation, Macbeth hires assassins to get rid of Banquo and Fleance, his son. Banquo is murdered that night, but Fleance escapes into the darkness. As Macbeth sits down to the feast, the bloody ghost of Banquo silently torments him, which causes him great despair. Meanwhile, Macduff has fled to England because he too suspects Macbeth of foul play. Macbeth, once a man of greatness, transforms into a man whose conscience has left him. Upon learning of Macduff's flight, Macbeth exacts revenge by having Macduff's family butchered. Macduff grieves, but joins up with Malcolm in England to raise an army to fight against Macbeth.

Macbeth is given another prophecy by the witches as he prepares for Malcolm's castle), and he will not die by the hand of any man born of a woman. Macbeth feels confident in his chances for victory at this pronouncement. Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, has been slowly driven mad by her dreams since killing Duncan. She sleepwalks, wringing her hands together, and inadvertently reveals her part in the murder. As the English armies approach, Macbeth learns that many of his lords are deserting him, and that Lady Macbeth has died. On top of this, a messenger brings news that Malcolm's army is approaching under the cover of branches, which they have cut from the trees of Birnam Wood. Realising that the witches' prophecy about Birnam Wood is coming true, Macbeth resigned to his fate, grimly sets to battle.

Finally, Macbeth meets Macduff on the battlefield. Macbeth laughs hollowly, telling Macduff of the witches' prophecy: and that no man born of a woman may slay him. As Macduff replies, he was "from my mother's womb untimely ripp'd," meaning he was delivered by a Caesarian section (and hence, not technically born of a woman). The play ends with the death of Macbeth; Macduff greets the others bearing Macbeth's head. Malcolm is crowned King of Scotland, and restores his father Duncan's bloodline to the throne.

Related Films

Macbeth (Orson Welles, 1948)Macbeth (Director Roman Polanski, 1971)Macbeth (Director Geoffrey Wright, 2006)Shakespeare Retold BBC Macbeth (James McAvoy, Keeley Hawes)

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WITCHCRAFT AND BLACK MAGIC IN THE 16th CENTURY

In the play, the Three Witches represent darkness, chaos, and conflict, while their role is as agents and witnesses. Their presence communicates treason and impending doom. During Shakespeare's day, witches were seen as worse than rebels. They were seen not only as political traitors, but spiritual traitors as well. In 'Macbeth', much of the confusion that surrounds the Three Witches comes from their ability to cross the borders between reality and the supernatural, and it is unclear whether they control fate, or whether they are merely fates agents.

The witches' lines in the first act: "Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air" are often said to set the tone for the rest of the play by establishing a sense of confusion. Indeed, the play is filled with situations where evil is depicted as

good, while good is seen as evil. The line "Double, double toil and trouble," suggests the Three Witches seek only trouble for the mortals around them.

While the witches do not tell Macbeth directly to kill King Duncan, they use a subtle form of temptation when they tell Macbeth that he is destined to be king. By placing this thought in his mind, they effectively guide him on the path to his own destruction. This follows the pattern of temptation that many believed the Devil used at the time of Shakespeare. First, they argued, a thought is put in a man's mind, then the person may either indulge in the thought or reject it. Macbeth indulges in it, while Banquo rejects it.

MACBETH - "THE SCOTTISH PLAY"

Actors and other theatre people often consider it bad luck to mention Macbeth by name while inside a theatre, and usually refer to it superstitiously as "The Scottish Play" or "MacBee", or when referring to the character and not the play, "Mr. and Mrs. M", or "The Scottish King".

This is because Shakespeare is said to have used the spells of real witches in his text, purportedly angering the witches and causing them to curse the play. Therefore, to say the name of the play inside a theatre is believed to doom the production to failure, and perhaps cause physical injury or death to cast members. A large mythology has built up surrounding this superstition, with countless stories of accidents, misfortunes and even deaths, all mysteriously taking place during runs of Macbeth (or by actors who had uttered the name).

Several methods exist to dispel the curse. One example is to spin around three times as fast as possible on the spot, sometimes accompanied by spitting over their shoulder, and uttering an obscenity. Another popular "ritual" is to leave the room, knock three times, be invited in, and then quote a line from 'Hamlet'.

SYNOPSIS of 'MACBETH' by The Pocket Oxford Theatre Company

The Pocket Oxford's 'Macbeth' is a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's most famous tragedy, and it is presented as a play within a play (a popular Shakespearean technique). Whist Shakespeare is writing his new play, he and his wife Anne Hathaway are employed to manage a restaurant to earn some extra money. However, when William and Anne arrive at the restaurant there are no staff  - so they recruit members of the audience to be chefs, waiters and cleaners. Before they know it they are all performing 'Macbeth' themselves, and they have embarked on a tale of deception, blood and murder.

The Pocket Oxford Theatre Company takes this traditional Shakespearean play, and makes it fun and relevant to a young, modern audience. Set in current times, using music and dance, and with the help of the students in the audience, 'Macbeth' becomes an exciting and educational journey exploring the themes of greed, corruption and ambition. Welcome to our world.... A Big Mac will never taste the same again!!

We here at The Pocket Oxford Theatre Company would like to refrain from revealing the rest of the story, in order to keep some elements of surprise for the students.....! But you may wonder......

How will Macbeth kill Duncan?How much blood will Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have on their

hands?How many bodies will the Witches sweep up their broomsticks?And how will Malcolm get his revenge?

POST SHOW WORKSHEET

QUESTIONS:

1/ Choose 3 words to describe the characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

2/ Choose 3 words to describe the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

3/ What are the main themes of 'Macbeth'?

4/ What are the reasons for and against Macbeth killing Duncan?

5/ Do you think that Macbeth would have killed Duncan if he were not married to Lady Macbeth?

SUGGESTED POST SHOW DEBATES:

“Why is Shakespeare still relevant more than 400 years later?”

“Why is Shakespeare called the greatest writer of the English language?”

“How does Shakespeare demonstrate in Macbeth that every action has a consequence?”

"What are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's characteristics and traits?

"What verbal tactics does Lady Macbeth use to persuade Macbeth to kill Duncan? (flattery? accusing? questioning? reassurance? etc)

"Do you feel that Macbeth have a choice in his actions, or are our destinies set, as suggested by the witches prophecies?

WORD SEARCH

We suggest that the students complete the following word-searches whilst discussing the meaning of each term for a fuller understanding.

1/ Find the following theatre words:

Plot Casting Actor Play Acts Theatre Drama

Stage Prop Globe Costume Scene Set Part