About Macbeth

A note from the Director….

 “Fair is foul and foul is fair; we hover through the foul and filthy air.” The Witches in Macbeth are central to my interpretation of this Shakespeare tragedy. They tell us in the first scene that what appears beautiful can be evil and what appears foul can be fair.

From the beginning, the audience is warned that things are not always as they appear. In this production, I have the Witches taking the appearance of beautiful tree spirits. Ancient druid spirituality believed in the existence of tree spirits, and they acknowledged the significance of trees in the supernatural world. Birnam Wood plays a key part in the resolution of the plot, so trees were in my mind as I planned the visual design for production.

When the Witches come to Macbeth and Banquo at the beginning of the show, their appearance is striking and intriguing. Macbeth is fascinated by the Witch’s prophecy that he will be King, but Banquo is much more wary about their prophecy for him: that he will be the father of kings. Banquo and Macbeth hear the same words from the Witches, but Banquo shows a real maturity when he warns his best friend that evil can appear good to try to ruin him.

The audience learns early of the vengeful, violent nature of the Witches. Before Macbeth and Banquo arrive, Witch #1 is furious because a sailor’s wife won’t share nuts with her, so she decides to punish the husband for the wife’s snub. Witch #1 flies to where the sailor is, joined by the other witches, and they torture him to death . . . because his wife wouldn’t share nuts with a stranger. At the beginning of the play, the Witches show themselves to be cruel, selfish, and heartless.

Many English classes debate whether it was Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s fault that they turned down the wrong path, or was it fate? When Lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband telling her of the Witch’s prophecy that he will be King, her first reaction is to ask evil spirits to “fill her with direst cruelty,” so she will be able to do horrible deeds without her conscience stopping her. Let’s think about that for a minute. That’s not a typical reaction! She directly asks evil spirits to help her commit murder.

I mentioned to the cast that if someone told my husband that he’d be the CEO of his company and that the current CEO was coming to our house to dinner that evening, my first reaction would not be: “Let’s kill him!” That is not normal. Lady Macbeth, summoning evil spirits to help her kill her King, shows that she is already steeped in evil. Why else would summoning evil spirits be the first thing she thinks of when she is told about a prophecy that her husband will be King.

Macbeth initially turns away from his wife’s suggestion that they kill the King. Later, he admits, after she shames and manipulates him into killing Duncan, that all his choices were of his own doing.

Banquo hears the same prophecy from the Witches, but he wisely warns Macbeth that evil can take on the appearance of light to damn us. Banquo is the bearer of truth, and as Macbeth steers further and further away from his moral compass, he finds Banquo’s truth odious and removes the reverberation of truth from his life.

Banquo speaks truth, and Lady Macbeth speaks lies; she says, “A little water clears us of this deed. How easy it is then.” Shakespeare’s Macbeth reminds us to search for truth, and to listen to truth when it’s shared with us. Lies may seem easier but evil masquerading as beauty will never bring us satisfaction and peace. Turning from truth has truly tragic results.

 

"Macbeth" Plot Synopsis

On a bleak Scottish moorland, Macbeth and Banquo, two of King Duncan’s generals, meet a group of witches who prophesy that Macbeth will be promoted twice: to Thane of Cawdor (a rank of the aristocracy bestowed by grateful kings) and King of Scotland. Banquo’s descendants will be kings, but Banquo isn’t promised any kingdom himself. The generals want to hear more, but the “weird sisters” disappear. In our production, the witches initially appear as beautiful tree spirits.

Soon afterward, King Duncan names Macbeth as Thane of Cawdor, as a reward for his success in the recent battles. The King then proposes to make a brief visit that night to Macbeth’s castle at Inverness. Lady Macbeth receives news from her husband about the prophecy and his new title. She vows to help him become king by whatever means are necessary.

Macbeth returns to his castle, followed almost immediately by King Duncan. The Macbeths plot together to kill Duncan after everyone is asleep. Lady Macbeth gives the guards drugged wine so Macbeth can enter and kill the defenseless King. Macbeth regrets the murder almost immediately, but his wife reassures him. She leaves the bloody daggers by the dead king’s groomsmen, to make it look like they killed the King. The Macbeths’ porter (who opens the castle gates to admit visitors) is so drunk that he thinks he is guarding the gate to hell, and that Satan is knocking. Macduff (another Scottish nobleman) arrives and discovers the murder. Macbeth kills the drunken guards in a show of rage and retribution. The dead King Duncan’s son, Malcolm, flees Scotland fearing for his life. Later, the young prince is blamed for the King’s murder.

He is crowned King of Scotland, but Macbeth is plagued by feelings of insecurity. He remembers the witches’ prophecy, that Banquo’s descendants will inherit the throne; he arranges for Banquo and his son Fleance to be killed. In the darkness, Banquo is murdered, but his son escapes the assassins. At his state banquet that night, Macbeth sees the ghosts of Banquo and Duncan. His mad response to ghosts no one else can see deeply worries the courtiers. Lady Macbeth dismisses the court and unsuccessfully tries to calm her husband. Their first royal banquet is a horrible disaster.

Hecate, the Queen of the Witches, visits from Hades and berates the witches for exploiting Macbeth without her permission. Macbeth seeks out the witches, who now appear in the their true evil form. They share prophecies that warn him to fear Macduff, yet they also say that Macbeth need not fear any man born of woman. They also say that he will be safe until a local forest, Birnam Wood, marches up to Dunsinane palace to battle against him. Finally, the witches prophesy that the Scottish succession will come from Banquo’s son, and Macbeth sees a long line of kings who will descend from Fleance.

Embarking on a reign of terror, Macbeth slaughters many, including Macduff’s family. Macduff was gone to seek Malcolm, the rightful heir to the throne, who is living at the court of the English king. Malcolm is young and unsure of himself. When they learn of the slaughter of Macduff’s family from Ross (Macduff’s kinsman), Malcolm decides to lead an army against Macbeth.

Macbeth feels safe in his remote castle at Dunsinane, until he is told that Birnam Wood is moving toward him. Malcolm’s army is carrying branches from the forest as camouflage for their assault on Macbeth’s stronghold. Meanwhile, an overwrought and guilt-ridden Lady Macbeth walks in her sleep and tells her secrets to her doctor. She commits suicide. As the final battle commences, Macbeth hears of Lady Macbeth’s suicide and mourns his deep loss.

Macduff challenges Macbeth, who learns that Macduff is the child of a caesarean birth. Still, Macbeth fights to the bitter end, refusing to give the throne to Prince Malcolm. Macduff kills Macbeth and brings the crown of the traitor to Malcolm. Malcolm declares peace and goes on to be crowned King of Scotland.

 

Agape Theater Company

Macbeth Production Staff

 Director: KATHY PHIPPS

Assistant Director: DARBY KEAR

Show Coordinators: TRICIA SICKMEIER and CATHY RAMSEY

 Financial Manager: PATTY ELLENBERGER

 Choreographer: JOEL FLYNN

 Fight Coordinator: KEVIN ROBERTSON

 Technical Director: ERIC MATTERS

 Scenic Design: IAN PHIPPS

 Costume Design: KATHY PHIPPS

 Sound Design: ANN LEWIS

 Stage Manager: JOEY DEVINE

 Deck Manager: TRUDY LORENZ

 Sound: KATHERINE MORRIS

 Spot Light Operator: JACK SCHWITZER

 Wardrobe Manager: KIRON BRANINE and KATERINA LINVILLE

 

Crew: ANDREW LORENZ

JAMES SCHWITZER

JULIE SEIDLE