Modern Elizabethan Staging of Macbeth
Macbeth : Staging of Act II, scene 2
Through this essay, I will attempt to create an Elizabethan staging of Macbeth ‘s Act II, scene 2 in the recreation of the Globe Theatre in London. The unlimited budget will allow me to use several sound effects, lighting and expensive costumes while respecting the Elizabethan setting and the architecture of the Globe Theatre.
Lady Macbeth’s speeches throughout the play are very powerful, and the language often refers to the woman’s body and emotions. Therefore, I believe that it would be wise to let a female actress play her part. It would give her more credit, and allow the audience to be more sympathetic towards what she goes through. Also, her paranoid state, and her relief when she sees her husband arrive on stage would be better shown by a female Lady Macbeth.
The character of Macbeth in the eponymous play faces several changes in the beginning of the play. As he comes back from war, he already owns the title of Thane of Glamis. His prowesses earn him the additional title of Thane of Cawdor. He thus becomes King of Scotland after killing Duncan. In this scene, Macbeth has just killed the king. He has therefore not been named king yet, and is only Thane of Glamis and Cawdor. He should be dressed as a nobleman, wearing golden or indigo clothing made of silk. It is nevertheless very important that he wears a white shirt to show the blood stains coming from the murder he just committed.
On the other hand, I think it would be symbolically interesting to make Lady Macbeth wear purple clothing, because she already knows she is very soon going to be Queen of Scotland, and it would be a good way to symbolise her ambition.
Two main props are simply essential in this scene : two daggers covered in blood, used by Macbeth to murder Duncan and his son, and the aforementioned fake blood. The dagger is a very symbolic element in the play : it's Macbeth's key to kingship. He had the vision of a dagger pointing towards
Through this essay, I will attempt to create an Elizabethan staging of Macbeth ‘s Act II, scene 2 in the recreation of the Globe Theatre in London. The unlimited budget will allow me to use several sound effects, lighting and expensive costumes while respecting the Elizabethan setting and the architecture of the Globe Theatre.
Lady Macbeth’s speeches throughout the play are very powerful, and the language often refers to the woman’s body and emotions. Therefore, I believe that it would be wise to let a female actress play her part. It would give her more credit, and allow the audience to be more sympathetic towards what she goes through. Also, her paranoid state, and her relief when she sees her husband arrive on stage would be better shown by a female Lady Macbeth.
The character of Macbeth in the eponymous play faces several changes in the beginning of the play. As he comes back from war, he already owns the title of Thane of Glamis. His prowesses earn him the additional title of Thane of Cawdor. He thus becomes King of Scotland after killing Duncan. In this scene, Macbeth has just killed the king. He has therefore not been named king yet, and is only Thane of Glamis and Cawdor. He should be dressed as a nobleman, wearing golden or indigo clothing made of silk. It is nevertheless very important that he wears a white shirt to show the blood stains coming from the murder he just committed.
On the other hand, I think it would be symbolically interesting to make Lady Macbeth wear purple clothing, because she already knows she is very soon going to be Queen of Scotland, and it would be a good way to symbolise her ambition.
Two main props are simply essential in this scene : two daggers covered in blood, used by Macbeth to murder Duncan and his son, and the aforementioned fake blood. The dagger is a very symbolic element in the play : it's Macbeth's key to kingship. He had the vision of a dagger pointing towards