Victoria's Macbeth Project

For my Macbeth project, I decided to describe the special effects I would use if I were the director of a production of this play. I did my best to get the images in my head down on paper, so I hope it all makes sense. :)

Macbeth's special effects as directed by Victoria Brook

Act 1, Scene 1 – Witches’ first scene; planning to meet with Macbeth

Directions in the book: Lightning and thunder. Enter Three Witches.

My specific special effects: Light comes up on the witches already standing on stage. Thunder and lightning special effects. At the end when they all say, “Fair is foul…” strobe lights and a fog machine kick in and their voices are auto-tuned really low and gravely. For their exit, as they say, “Hover through the fog…” they all step up onto a small box (in front of them) and lift their arms. The strobe lights turn off and leave the theater in total blackness, their words echoing.

Act 1, Scene 3 – Witches talking with Macbeth and Banquo

Directions in the book: Thunder. Enter the Three Witches. Drum within.

My specific special effects: Thunder and flashes of lighting. Once the drum begins, it needs to be rapid, loud, and an overbearing drumbeat, rising in volume and rapidity until it suddenly stops when Macbeth and Banquo enter, the last note of the drum resonating. At line 1.3.49 (when they begin their “All hail’s), the part of the line, “All hail,” should be warped into a very deep masculine voice while the rest of the line the actress’s normal feminine voice.

At 1.3.63, the first “Hail” ought to be feminine, the second less so, and the third not at all.

For 1.3.69-70 the “All hails” should be in the scary voice as well.

Directions in the book: Witches vanish.

My specific special effects: The witches begin to laugh in very high-pitched, typical witch laughter. The laughter continues to morph into a very deep creepy laugh. They all throw their heads back as a strong wind blows their hair and skirts. Fog machine begins and strobe lights start. They “disappear” in the flickering light and fog. The strobe lights turn off and the lights come up on a foggy stage with Macbeth and Banquo in the fog.

Act 3, Scene 3 – The murder of Banquo

Directions in book: They set upon Banquo. Banquo dies. Fleance escapes.

My specific special effects: Slow motion is good, but strobe lights would make the scene creepier and jumpier. At line 3.3.18, the stage is totally pitch black.

Act 3, Scene 4 – Banquo’s ghost haunts Macbeth

Directions in book: Banquo’s Ghost enters and – unnoticed by Macbeth or his guests – sits in Macbeth’s place. Macbeth sees Banquo’s Ghost.

My specific special effects: Banquo should be VERY bloody, arms and face very red and dripping wet. He should be dressed in absolute white, except for the many and obvious stains. Once he is noticed by Macbeth, normal lights switch off and a black light switches on. Macbeth should be followed by a spotlight.

Directions in book: Banquo’s Ghost vanishes.

My specific special effects: There should be a momentary pause between the black light

turning off and the regular lights turning on, during which Banquo steps behind a barrier or through a doorway. When he comes back he can simply step back on stage.

Act 3, Scene 5 – The witches talk to Hecat

Directions in book: Thunder. Enter the Three Witches, meeting Hecat.

My specific special effects: Hecat should be standing on a box or stool, wearing dark clothes and having long white hair, keeping her back to the audience. She should say her lines in a low, fast, passionate chanting. Music and lighting should create an eery environment.

Act 4, Scene 1 – Macbeth goes to see the witches at their house and receives further prophecy

Directions in book: Thunder. Enter the Three Witches.

My specific special effects: Constant dripping sound effect, as if in a cave. Possibly rodent noises. Dark and foggy air—a cold feeling. The witches and a cauldron are behind a very large white sheet, backlit as to create perfect and dark shadows of everything the witches throw into the cauldron. Every time the witches say “Double double…” the color of the light shone on the sheet changes from white to a red light. When Macbeth arrives the witches come out from behind the sheet. The apparitions arise from the cauldron, and from behind the sheet the shadows and clearly visible. The second apparition (the bloody child), may be accompanied by sound effects of a crying baby to indicate how young the child is or further sound effects to give clues that the child was taken by C-section. Before disappearing, he should run his hand down across the sheet, allowing “blood” to soak through the sheet to show the audience he is bloody. For the line of kings, actors wearing obvious crowns should line up behind the sheet, except for Banquo.

Directions in book: Music. The Witches dance and then vanish.

My specific special effects: The witches again disappear in fog and possibly strobe lights. A departing witch scream may be called for to increase the creepy factor J.

Act 4, Scene 2 – Murder of Macduff’s family

Directions in book: Exit Lady Macduff, crying “murder!” exuent Murderers, follower her

My specific special effects: When Lady Macduff’s son is stabbed, line 4.2.82 (“He has killed me, mother”) should repeat and echo eerily. When Lady Macduff exits, she screams off stage, but the scream is cut off mid-way into a few soft gasps followed by silence.

-Victoria