Scotland on the Thames

A recent trip to Record Archive yielded a great catch.  In the used DVD section was a copy of Macbeth starring Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Judi Dench.  It was the RSC production that was broadcast by Thames Television in 1978.  I had been on the lookout for a performance of Macbeth, so I grabbed this one immediately.  Having watched it now...Wow.

The DVD includes both an introduction to the play and a discussion of the production led by Sir Ian McKellen.  He includes considerable information that clarifies and expands the experience.  He discusses the staging of the film, which was done "on the cheap."  There was no set.  Depth was given through the use of lighting and smoke.  Costuming was whatever could be found in the RSC wardrobe department.

When I heard those comments before the play, it made me a bit wary.  There was no reason for concern, though.  The production was a wonder.  It was a marked contrast to the recent film version of Macbeth starring Michael Fassbender (see 12/20/2015 post).  The latter, while very stylish, was less enjoyable than this simple stage version.  (For this play, perhaps the word "enjoyable" is an odd choice.)  I hardly noticed the lack of a set here because I was spellbound by the tremendous acting.

In the introduction, Sir Ian describes the play as a horror.  He recounted incidents of schoolchildren screaming while watching the film.  I could understand that.  Sir Ian's portrayal of Macbeth is one of the most realistic stage portrayals of any character that I have seen.  When Macbeth goes into hysteric fits while seeing Banquo's ghost, it is as if the actor is having a seizure.  Additionally, the ghost is not visible to anyone but Macbeth, which heightens the tension.  It is a difficult scene to watch.  Equally captivating is Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene.  It's scary enough to see her, but the scream she lets loose is beyond frightening.  These are two great examples of actors getting into their roles!

I did notice some differences between Fassbender's version and this one.  I'll admit that I do not have a solid grasp of Shakespeare's original text, but it was noteworthy that Macduff did not die in this production nor did Fleance reappear at the end.  It seemed to me a much more straightforward rendering of Shakespeare's work.

In the discussion of the production, Sir Ian describes three problems with Macbeth.  The first is that of setting; is the play really about Scotland?  Fassbender's film, with its lush cinematography, made it very clear where the story occurred.  This production, with no set, could take place anywhere.  As Sir Ian states, the play is less about nationalities than it is about human nature.

Another problem with the play is the fifth act.  Just when one would expect Macbeth's power to reach its peak, numerous changes of scene can mute the impact.  In this production, Macbeth remained center stage while other characters delivered their lines around him.  He did not leave the stage.  (This was difficult to notice due to the editing of the television production.)  I've seen such staging in productions of Hamlet, but here it seemed to fit the play quite well.

The third problem has to do with the witches.  Are they really magicians or just Scottish ladies casting spells?  That one seems to be left unresolved.  Macbeth certainly believes their magic.  Then again, when he visits them he takes a potion which may have been some sort of a hallucinogen.  Additionally, we see neither a floating dagger nor Banquo's ghost.  Is this magic, then, or the product of a diseased wit?  It's difficult to tell, which makes the story and the production appealing.

What would a post here be without some reference to Hamlet?  Sir Ian throws in a brief remark which resonated very nicely.  He commented that no one could claim to know Hamlet in its entirety by seeing or knowing only one version of it.  To know the play truly is to see it multiple times, in multiple productions, and to rediscover it.  For one lucky enough to have a DVD version of the play, it could be viewed multiple times.  I agree wholeheartedly with Sir Ian's appraisal.  No matter how many times I have seen Hamlet, each new production or new resource brings with it a new bit of knowledge, a new discovery.  It can indeed become a life-long interest.

Sir Ian summarizes Shakespeare in general and Macbeth in particular near the end of the discussion.  Shakespeare's works describe what human nature should be.  While each playgoer may interpret the play individually, there is always a call on one's humanity.  In this production of Macbeth, we see characters with their frailties intact, torn by complicated moral inquiries.  It was a captivating presentation.