MACBETH by William Shakespeare. Episode 2. Adapted by Neil Richards

Transcription

1 by William Shakespeare Episode 2 Adapted by Neil Richards SCENE 11: LADY S CHAMBER LADY LADY LADY LADY Macbeth has been crowned King of Scotland. The day of his coronation is to end with a great banquet to celebrate. In her bedroom, Lady Macbeth waits for her husband. She s having second thoughts All I ever wanted was for Macbeth to be king. Now that he is - I wish it had never happened. Not this way. (ENTERING) Are you ready my queen? We should go down. What are you planning Macbeth? Just wait... I can t go on like this. You won t have to. Soon it will be night - and in the night, anything is possible. What do you mean? Best you don t know. Trust me. LADY But Come! SCENE 12: THE HEATH FLEANCE BANQUO Night. Out on the heath, night is falling. Banquo and his son Fleance have been hunting and are on their way back to Dunsinane Are we nearly home father? Not far now, Fleance. Do you see? Look, through the trees. The lights of the castle. 1

2 FLEANCE BANQUO BANQUO ASSASSIN 2 BANQUO FLEANCE BANQUO BANQUO ASSASSIN 2 ASSASSIN 2 There are people on the path. Approaching feet on the path. My lord Banquo, is it not? It is indeed. Do you come from Dunsinane? We do, sir. Looks like rain tonight. Worse than rain for you. Assassins attack Banquo and they struggle. Sword slides from scabbard... Before Banquo can draw his sword, the two men attack It s a trap, Fleance! Father! Run Fleance! Run! Fleance does run but his father has no time to escape Sword run in. Aaahh... He s finished. Quick. Get the boy. No use. He s too fast. Gone. We ll never catch him. That s not good. There s a feast for the king tonight. We ll have to tell him there. That ll spoil his party. I hope it doesn t spoil ours too. Come on... SCENE 13: THE GREAT HALL AT DUNSINANE The crowded hall. A fanfare. Dunsinane Castle and the feast to celebrate Macbeth s coronation 2

3 ALL ASSASSINS ASSASSIN 2 ASSASSIN 2 ASSASSIN 2 All rise for the king and queen. The crowd clap Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in rhythmically. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! My lords and ladies - welcome! Tonight we will forget the sad past - and think only of the future. So eat, drink and enjoy! The lords and ladies take their seats as Macbeth s servant comes to the table and whispers in his ear... Yes, what is it? The two gentlemen. They have returned. What? They wish to speak with you. Over there, by the door. Ah. Yes. (TO ALL) Some urgent business I must deal with. I shall return. Macbeth gets up from the table and walks over to the far side of the hall, where the two assassins wait in the shadows. Macbeth passes through the hall, to the quiet corner. My lord. / Your majesty. Idiots! What are you doing here? There s blood on your faces. Not my blood. Or mine. It s Banquo s. Is he dead? Snick snack. Clickety-clack. Excellent! What about the boy - Fleance? Bit of a problem there. It was very dark. 3

4 ASSASSIN 2 ASSASSINS ASSASSINS LADY And he was very fast. So unfortunately... The boy escaped. What? You let him go? Idiots! He was too quick your majesty... Never mind. At least Banquo s dead. We can deal with the boy tomorrow. Now get out of here! Your majesty My royal lord! What are you doing in the shadows there? Come, join us again! Of course, my lady! Macbeth returns to the table to rejoin the feast but when he does so The table s full Here s a place, sir. Where, Lennox? Here - right next to me. Macbeth looks down the long table. But he can t see an empty seat. In fact, in the chair next to Lennox he sees a figure, sitting still and upright. But that seat is taken. There s somebody - aagh! Macbeth staggers back. He cannot believe what he sees... Banquo! Banquo sits at the table! His face...bloody. Which one of you has done this?! We have done nothing my lord. He s getting up! Coming closer, no! Get away from me! I didn t do it! It wasn t me! Gentlemen, rise - the king is not well. 4

5 LADY LADY LADY ALL ALL Please, everyone, stay. This is just - an illness. The king has suffered from it since he was a boy. Don t worry - it will go away. (TO ) What is wrong with you, Macbeth? Are you a man or what?! Can t you see it? It s Banquo! At the table. The devil himself would be scared. Oh yes. Like the dagger in the air you told me about. Look - it s just a stool! You re seeing things. Macbeth looks back at the table and no longer sees Banquo s ghost... What? It s gone! It was never there! No? Right. (TO ALL) Please, everybody, forgive me. I am not myself this evening. We shall have a toast. Clinking glasses. A toast! A toast! To absent friends! To Banquo! Yes, ha - why not? To Banquo! To Banquo! Aaghh! No! It s here again! Get back to your grave, you fiend! Macbeth draws his sword. I shall fight you, ghost! LADY LADY My lords, ladies. I m sorry, the king is not well. Please, leave us now. Good night. The shuffling of chairs and feet as they leave. All the guests leave. Macbeth, still shocked, stares into space. His queen comes close... You need sleep, my lord. Did you notice? Macduff wasn t here tonight. 5

6 LADY LADY Macduff? What are you talking about now? He s plotting, I m sure. Tomorrow, I ll go to the Weird Sisters again, find out what else is in store for me. This isn t over. I ve stepped in so much blood it s easier now to spill more than to go back. Come. Let s get some sleep. SCENE 14: THE WALLS OF DUNSINANE On the walls of Dunsinane Castle, the two noblemen Ross and Lennox have found a quiet place where they cannot be overheard. These are strange times, Lennox, strange times. Aye Ross, you are right. First Duncan is killed. And his sons flee. Because they were the murderers - so says Macbeth. And then Banquo is killed and his son Fleance runs away. And Macbeth says Fleance was the killer. A door in the castle slams below. Shh! Is that someone coming? Even up here we re not safe. And now Macduff has disappeared. Not disappeared. Fled to England. Why? He s gone to join Malcolm. They are going to raise an army to come up here and save us from Macbeth. Does Macbeth know? Yes and is planning his revenge on Macduff. God help Macduff. God help all of us. Come on. Let us leave this place - while we can. 6

7 SCENE 15: THE HEATH SISTER 1 SISTER 2 SISTER 3 SISTER 1 SISTER 2 SISTER 3 Out on the heath the witches make their spells... By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. Open locks, whoever knocks! And Macbeth approaches them on horseback The fall of hooves and clink of harness. What devil s work are you up to now, you midnight hags? A recipe without a name! I want to know more of the future. Will you tell me? I need answers. Speak, Macbeth. Demand. We ll answer. First question. Tell me - WITCHES SISTER 1 SISTER 2 SISTER 3 SISTER 1 No need to ask the questions. We know your thoughts. Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff! I knew it. Macduff is dangerous... Be bloody, bold and resolute! No man who s ever been born to a woman can harm you! Then I m safe! No human can ever harm me! And last...you will never be beaten in battle till Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane! How can a wood get up and move somewhere else? Never! I m safe! One more question - Banquo s children. Shall they be kings? A horse approaching. Your majesty! It s me Lennox. 7

8 Don t be afraid, Lennox. Do you see them? See who my lord? The weird sisters of course. But they ve gone! They didn t answer Are you not well, my lord? More than well, Lennox! Now, what news? Messengers say Macduff has raised an army in England, my lord. And is on his way. Traitor! He ll pay for this. I ll take his castle. Kill his wife, his children, his family. Come! Both exit on horseback. SCENE 16: A ROOM IN DUNSINANE CASTLE Dunsinane Castle: nighttime. Lady Macbeth s servant is worried and has summoned a doctor to the queen s rooms... Just here, Doctor. This is where the queen walks? Every night. And you think she s asleep each time? I m sure of it. She says things - but look! Here she comes! Footsteps approach. Lady Macbeth muttering... Watch. Her eyes are open! But they do not see. What s she doing now? Every night she goes to the bowl on the table there. She s washing her hands. But there s no water. She s talking to herself. We can get closer - she does not see us. 8

9 LADY LADY LADY LADY LADY Out damned spot! Out I say! Hell is murky! We re hearing things we shouldn t. Will these hands never be clean? Heaven knows what she really knows. The smell of blood is still there. This isn t an illness I can cure. I tell you Banquo s dead and buried So that s it? Banquo?...he can t come out of the grave! And you say you can t cure her? She needs a priest not a doctor. God forgive us all. We must go. And you had better forget what we just heard - or we re all dead. SCENE 17: THE HEATH NEAR DUNSINANE ANGUS ANGUS Soldiers marching, distant trumpet sounds. Drums. In England Malcolm and Macduff raise a great army. It marches north to Dunsinane and prepares to do battle with the Macbeth, whose crimes now include the murder of Macduff s wife and children. Angus and Lennox meet on the heath. They too have raised an army and are ready to fight Macbeth Horses approach, are reined in. What news Angus? The English army is near, Lennox, led by Malcolm and Macduff. They have come for revenge! And we shall join them. Poor Macduff - he knows his family are all dead? He s vowed to kill Macbeth in revenge. 9

10 ANGUS You think Macbeth ordered their deaths? I know it. Macbeth is mad. His murders stick to his hands. Onward to Birnam Wood! We ll meet our new allies there! Their horses gallop away. SCENE 18: A ROOM IN DUNSINANE CASTLE BODYGUARD BODYGUARD At Dunsinane Castle Macbeth gets ready to lead his army into battle. The room is busy as soldiers and servants rush around. You! Out of my sight! I want no more reports from the battlefield! Your majesty! Birnam Wood cannot come to Dunsinane. It s impossible do you all understand? And Malcolm was born of woman. So nothing can touch me! A soldier arrives with news My lord... Yes! What is it? The English army comes near, my lord! Ten thousand soldiers! All right then! Put on my armour! And you there - yes you, skulking - what do you want with me? My lord, your wife... Who are you? The doctor, my lord. Your wife, sir, is sick... What s the matter with her? She is troubled... She ll be fine. Come on! Give me my lance! And let us go! My lord... I m not scared of death - till Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane. To the battle! 10

11 SCENE 19: THE HEATH NEAR DUNSINANE ANGUS SIWARD SIWARD SIWARD Two great armies mingle. Horses. Trumpets. Marching. The moment has come. The army of Malcolm and Macduff unites with that of Angus and Lennox... Lennox! Angus! You are welcome to the fight. Malcolm! It is good to see you. All of Scotland rises up against Macbeth. Macduff! We heard the news of your family. Aye. The time has come, Angus. My wife and children will be avenged! And my father too! Macbeth and his men are in Dunsinane. We will lay siege to the castle. We have all the thanes with us. You there - what is your name? Siward, my lord. Are you ready for the fight? The tyrant must die, my lord Malcolm. Good man! Now this forest before us how is it known? It is called Birnam Wood, my lord. Lennox! Tell the troops to cut down the trees and hold the branches in front of them - the enemy won t know how strong we are! Come lads! Horses head off at a gallop. SCENE 20: A ROOM IN DUNSINANE BODYGUARD In the castle Macbeth is put into his armour Clink of armour and buckles etc. Tighter, here! You - tell my lady I am about to leave for battle. Yes, my lord. 11

12 BODYGUARD 2 BODYGUARD 2 BODYGUARD BODYGUARD Are the flags flying? On every wall, my lord. They cannot beat us. No, my lord. Macbeth carries on buckling up his armour. The queen, my lord What? is dead. Dead? She should have lived until the battle ends. There s no time now - give me my sword. SOLDIER SOLDIER SOLDIER 1 SOLDIER My lord I have news from the castle walls... Come on - spit it out! I I don t know how to tell you. Just say it! As I stood watch - I looked towards Birnam. And the wood was moving. Liar! No. It is true my lord. See, through the window there... Macbeth steps to the window and looks out across the heath to the far hills... So Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane. Just like the Weird Sisters said. There is no running away now. The prophesy comes true... SCENE 21: THE HEATH OUTSIDE DUNSINANE Outside Malcolm and his army are advancing Drums and marching. We are at the castle walls! Throw down your branches! Sound the trumpets! 12

13 ALL Let s to war! The soldiers beat their shields with their swords. To battle! SCENE 22: ANOTHER PART OF THE FIELD SOLDIER SIWARD The midst of the hand to hand fighting. As the battle rages it seems Macbeth is unbeatable. He cuts through the enemy forces, his sword flying I am invincible! No-one can touch me. Die! Aaggh! I shall fight forever! Swords clash. Macbeth worse than the devil! Prepare to die - SIWARD SIWARD Tyrant! Swords clash. Aaggh Fool. You were born of woman. I cannot die. Turn, hell-hound, turn! Macduff! Get back. I don t want to fight you. Murderer! The clash of swords. You re wasting your time. There is a spell on me. You cannot kill me - you were born of a woman. No, Macbeth, I wasn t. I was cut from my mother s womb before her time... What? Curses on you for telling me! 13

14 Surrender then. Never. Lay on Macduff! And damned be him that first cries Hold, enough! Fade out as the fight continues. SCENE 23: THE GREAT HALL AT DUNSINANE ALL ALL As the battle draws to a close, prince Malcolm waits for news in the hall of Dunsinane Castle Where is my lord Malcolm? Ross - I am here. Is it over? The day is yours, my lord. Every part of the castle is taken. Hurrah! You have fought bravely, Ross. But what of the tyrant? Does Macbeth live still? Look my lord! Here comes Macduff! Hail King Malcolm! I bring you news of Macbeth. He is here - what s left of him! His head - on a pole! See! We are free again! My loyal thanes! Join with me! Hail Malcolm - rightful King of Scotland! Hail Malcolm, King of Scotland! God save the king! God save the king! So everything the witches said came true. And whatever the reason whether it was the witches who caused these things to happen or whether Macbeth was master of his own fate Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are both dead now. And Scotland for now - is free again. THE END 14