Aislin McGuckin:My husband.
Jonathan Slinger:I have done the deed.
Michael Boyd:We're right at the nub of it here. Where he has steeled himself to point where he is capable of doing this terrible act which all of us would find very difficult - murder.
Michael Boyd:He's consciously closed his eyes to what's wrong about what he's doing and he's gone in and he's committed the deed.
Aislin McGuckin:My husband.
Jonathan Slinger:I have done the deed.
Aislin McGuckin:"I have done the deed" is there, palpably in front of her.
Jonathan Slinger:Didst thou not hear a noise?
Aislin McGuckin:But very, very quickly it's obvious to her that he's he has done the deed but the fallout is now becoming evident and he's crumbling, which cannot happen.
Jonathan Slinger:I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen' stuck in my throat.
Aislin McGuckin:These deeds must not be thought after these ways - so, it will make us mad.
Michael Boyd:He's terrified. His status has plummeted from being the brightest of the bright to being something… halting, hesitating, stuttering and self-hating.
Michael Boyd:Can we try both of you maybe major on quite how appalling this is and quite how terrifying it is to have murdered a king and see what that does.
Aislin McGuckin:Consider it not so deeply.
Jonathan Slinger:But wherefore could I not pronounce 'Amen.' I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen' stuck in my throat.
Aislin McGuckin:These deeds must not be thought after these ways so, it will make us mad.
Aislin McGuckin:I was entering into the same hysteria which is something that she can't do. What she feels and what she can show don't tally.
Michael Boyd:So let's put you back into your sort of iron maiden of confidence that you've got to be in. But the main thing we're thinking about this time is the clash between her super-competency and his unravelling.
Aislin McGuckin:Consider it not so deeply.
Jonathan Slinger:Wherefore could I not pronounce 'Amen'? I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen' stuck in my throat.
Aislin McGuckin:These deeds must not be thought after these ways so it will make us mad.
Michael Boyd:She starts by trying to support him. Maintain the front of lover quite maternal lover almost, very supportive lover.
Jonathan Slinger:Still it cried 'Sleep no more!' to all the house: 'Glamis hath murder'd sleep, and therefore Cawdor shall sleep no more; Macbeth shall sleep no more.'
Aislin McGuckin:Sshh!
Aislin McGuckin:Who was it that thus cried? Why, worthy thane, you do unbend your noble strength, to think so brainsickly of things.
Aislin McGuckin:I genuinely felt there that if I don't care for this man now he's gonna go, and that was me being competent.
Jonathan Slinger:The more competent she tries to be the more it becomes-- the more the scene is about, "Take this seriously."
Michael Boyd:Well it was interesting that wasn't it?
Jonathan Slinger:It becomes more about, "Join me. I need you to join me in my in how awful this is."
3300:03:40:04 00:03:52:21Michael Boyd:Eventually the strain of the situation does get to her and she starts to blame him and indeed she resents him. She's angry, she's impatient.
Michael Boyd:Then there's a massive moment where you see that, like a fool, he's brought for the first time, you notice he's brought the daggers out from the room when the whole point is they've got to be left with the guards so that they are assumed to have done the killing.
Aislin McGuckin:Go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hand. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there. Go carry them and smear the sleepy grooms with blood.
Michael Boyd:Could we try this time, "I love you [KISS], I love you [KISS], I love you [KISS], you poor thing." The way we look after our lovers if they're in a terrible state. You don't just go, "There, there." You kiss, you reassure sensually as well. And then, let's just say, just as an exercise, you the realisation about the daggers, "Damn you!"
Michael Boyd:It goes from, "I love you. I care for you. It's alright, darling." to, "Damn you."
Aislin McGuckin:OK.
Aislin McGuckin:Go get some water and wash this filthy witness from your hands. Why did you bring these daggers from the place? They must lie there. Go carry them and smear the sleepy grooms with blood.
Aislin McGuckin:This is her highest point. She'll never be quite so high again. She's carried him through the devastating act of murder in order to get the crown on her head and on his.
Aislin McGuckin:Give me the daggers.
Michael Boyd:Macbeth has constantly been talking about, "We're going to have to pay for this." She has always put that out of mind and she will pay for it later with her mental collapse.
Aislin McGuckin:The sleeping and the dead are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of childhood that fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal for it must seem their guilt.
Video summary
The actors and director explore the Macbeths’ very different responses to Duncan’s murder.
They experiment with ways of playing the escalating conflict between the two characters.
This short film is from the BBC series, Shakespeare Unlocked.
Teacher Notes
This short film could be used in the study of different approaches to acting out a conflict scene.
As they watch, your students could take notes on important points they could use in their own acting projects, such as experimenting with different levels of anger and affection, body language, distance between actors, tones of voice and other factors they can identify.
This short film is suitable for teaching GCSE English literature and drama in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and National 4/ 5 in Scotland.
Act 5, Scene 1 - Candle in the dark (workshop) video
The director and actors experiment with the staging of the sleepwalking scene.
Act 5, Scene 1 - Sleepwalking. video
The doctor and lady-in-waiting witness Lady Macbeth sleepwalking.
Act 5, Scene 1 - Sleepwalking Queen (workshop) video
The director investigates how knowledge of Lady Macbeth’s secret changes the lives of others.
Act 5, Scene 1 - Unlocking the words (workshop) video
RSC Head of Voice, Lyn Darnley, helps Aislín McGuckin through a series of voice exercises.
About the 2011 RSC production. video
A look at the production and how the design is informed by the period in which Macbeth was written.
Act 1, Scene 7 - Persuading Macbeth (workshop) video
A look at the different ways of performing the scene when Lady Macbeth persuades her husband to kill the king.
Act 1, Scene 7 - To Kill the King. video
Macbeth debates the murder of King Duncan and decides against it. Lady Macbeth uses a battery of strategies to change his mind.
Act 1, Scene 7 - Whether to kill the king (workshop) video
Analysis of Macbeth’s soliloquy and key images in the speech.
Act 2, Scene 2 - Bloody Daggers. video
Macbeth has committed the murder and is overcome with guilt and fear.
Act 2, Scene 2 - Hearing noises (workshop) video
The cast explore how Lady Macbeth takes control as Macbeth struggles with his guilty conscience.
Act 2, Scene 2 - Rhythm of the language (workshop) video
The cast discuss iambic pentameter and explore the rhythm of Shakespeare’s language.
