"That Scottish Play" The DGSC adaptation of Macbeth

That Scottish Play (Act One) 1

(An adaption of Shakespeare’s Macbeth by the DGSC)2

ACT I 3

List of Characters4

HECATE 5

MACBETH 6

LADY MACBETH 7

MACDUFF 8

BANQOU 9

DUNCAN10

SCENE I11

HECATE sits centre stage. Enter MACBETH and BANQUO12

MACBETH 13

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.14

BANQUO15

How far is't call'd to Forres? What is this16

So wither'd and so wild in its attire,17

That look not like the inhabitants o' the earth,18

And yet are on't? Live you? or are you aught19

That man may question? 20

MACBETH 21

Speak, if you can: what are you?22

HECATE23

All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!24

All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!25

All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!26

BANQUO 27

Good sir, why do you start; and seem to fear28

Things that do sound so fair? I' the name of truth,29

Are ye fantastical, or that indeed30

Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner31

You greet with present grace and great prediction32

Of noble having and of royal hope,33

That he seems rapt withal: to me you speak not.34

If you can look into the seeds of time,35

And say which grain will grow and which will not,36

Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear37

Your favours nor your hate.38

HECATE39

Hail! Lesser than Macbeth, and greater.40

Not so happy, yet much happier.41

Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none:42

So all hail, Macbeth and Banquo!43

MACBETH 44

Stay, you imperfect speaker, tell me more:45

By Sinel's death I know I am thane of Glamis;46

But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives,47

A prosperous gentleman; and to be king48

Stands not within the prospect of belief,49

No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence50

You owe this strange intelligence? or why51

Upon this blasted heath you stop our way52

With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.53

HECATE vanish54

BANQUO 55

The earth hath bubbles, as the water has,56

And this is of them. Whither has it vanish'd?57

MACBETH 58

Into the air; and what seem'd corporal melted59

As breath into the wind. Would it had stay'd!60

BANQUO 61

Were such things here as we do speak about?62

Or have we eaten on the insane root63

That takes the reason prisoner?64

MACBETH 65

Your children shall be kings.66

BANQUO 67

You shall be king.68

MACBETH 69

And thane of Cawdor too: went it not so?70

Enter MACDUFF71

MACDUFF 72

The king hath happily received, Macbeth,73

The news of thy success; and when he reads74

Thy personal venture in the rebels' fight,75

His wonders and his praises do contend76

Which should be thine or his: silenced with that,77

In viewing o'er the rest o' the selfsame day,78

He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks,79

Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make,80

Strange images of death. As thick as hail81

Came post with post; and every one did bear82

Thy praises in his kingdom's great defence,83

And pour'd them down before him.84

I was sent to give thee from our royal master thanks;85

Only to herald thee into his sight, not pay thee.86

And, for an earnest of a greater honour,87

He bade me, from him, call thee thane of Cawdor:88

In which addition, hail, most worthy thane!89

For it is thine.90

BANQUO 91

What, can the devil speak true?92

MACBETH 93

The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me94

In borrow'd robes?95

MACDUFF96

Who was the thane lives yet;97

But under heavy judgment bears that life98

Which he deserves to lose. Whether he was combined99

With those of Norway, or did line the rebel100

With hidden help and vantage, or that with both101

He labour'd in his country's wreck, I know not;102

But treasons capital, confess'd and proved,103

Have overthrown him.104

MACBETH 105

[Aside] Glamis, and thane of Cawdor!106

The greatest is behind.107

To MACDUFF108

Thanks for your pains.109

To BANQUO110

Do you not hope your children shall be kings,111

When that that gave the thane of Cawdor to me112

Promised no less to them?113

Exeunt114

SCENE II115

Enter DUNCAN, MACDUFF116

DUNCAN 117

Is execution done on Cawdor? Are not118

Those in commission yet return'd?119

MACDUFF120

My liege,121

They are not yet come back. But I have spoke122

With one that saw him die: who did report123

That very frankly he confess'd his treasons,124

Implored your highness' pardon and set forth125

A deep repentance: nothing in his life126

Became him like the leaving it; he died127

As one that had been studied in his death128

To throw away the dearest thing he owed,129

As 'twere a careless trifle.130

DUNCAN 131

There's no art132

To find the mind's construction in the face:133

He was a gentleman on whom I built134

An absolute trust.135

Enter MACBETH, BANQUO136

O worthiest cousin!137

The sin of my ingratitude even now138

Was heavy on me: thou art so far before139

That swiftest wing of recompense is slow140

To overtake thee. Would thou hadst less deserved,141

That the proportion both of thanks and payment142

Might have been mine! only I have left to say,143

More is thy due than more than all can pay.144

MACBETH 145

The service and the loyalty I owe,146

In doing it, pays itself. Your highness' part147

Is to receive our duties; and our duties148

Are to your throne and state children and servants,149

Which do but what they should, by doing every thing150

Safe toward your love and honour.151

DUNCAN 152

Welcome hither:153

I have begun to plant thee, and will labour154

To make thee full of growing. Noble Banquo,155

That hast no less deserved, nor must be known156

No less to have done so, let me enfold thee157

And hold thee to my heart.158

BANQUO 159

There if I grow,160

The harvest is your own.161

DUNCAN 162

My plenteous joys,163

Wanton in fulness, seek to hide themselves164

In drops of sorrow. Sons, kinsmen, thanes,165

And you whose places are the nearest, know166

We will establish our estate upon167

Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter168

The Prince of Cumberland; which honour must169

Not unaccompanied invest him only,170

But signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine171

On all deservers. From hence to Inverness,172

And bind us further to you.173

MACBETH 174

The rest is labour, which is not used for you:175

I'll be myself the harbinger and make joyful176

The hearing of my wife with your approach;177

So humbly take my leave.178

DUNCAN 179

My worthy Cawdor!180

MACBETH 181

[Aside] The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step182

On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,183

For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;184

Let not light see my black and deep desires:185

The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be,186

Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.187

Exit188

DUNCAN 189

True, worthy Banquo; he is full so valiant,190

And in his commendations I am fed;191

It is a banquet to me. Let's after him,192

Whose care is gone before to bid us welcome:193

It is a peerless kinsman.194

Flourish. Exeunt195

SCENE III196

Enter LADY MACBETH, reading a letter 197

LADY MACBETH 198

[Reading] 'They met me in the day of success: and I have199

learned by the perfectest report, they have more in200

them than mortal knowledge. When I burned in desire201

to question them further, they made themselves air,202

into which they vanished. Whiles I stood rapt in203

the wonder of it, came missives from the king, who204

all-hailed me 'Thane of Cawdor;' by which title,205

before, these weird sisters saluted me, and referred206

me to the coming on of time, with 'Hail, king that207

shalt be!' This have I thought good to deliver208

thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou209

mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing, by being210

ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it211

to thy heart, and farewell.'212

Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be213

What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature;214

It is too full o' the milk of human kindness215

To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great;216

Art not without ambition, but without217

The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly,218

That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false,219

And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'ldst have, great Glamis,220

That which cries 'Thus thou must do, if thou have it;221

And that which rather thou dost fear to do222

Than wishest should be undone.' Hie thee hither,223

That I may pour my spirits in thine ear;224

And chastise with the valour of my tongue225

Enter HECATE226

What is your tidings?227

HECATE228

The king comes here to-night.229

LADY MACBETH 230

Thou'rt mad to say it:231

Is not thy master with him? who, were't so,232

Would have inform'd for preparation.233

HECATE234

So please you, it is true: our thane is coming:235

One of my fellows had the speed of him,236

Who, almost dead for breath, had scarcely more237

Than would make up his message.238

LADY MACBETH 239

Give him tending;240

He brings great news.241

The raven himself is hoarse242

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan243

Under my battlements. Come, you spirits244

That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,245

And fill me from the crown to the toe top-full246

Of direst cruelty! make thick my blood;247

Stop up the access and passage to remorse,248

That no compunctious visitings of nature249

Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between250

The effect and it! 251

Come, thick night,252

And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,253

That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,254

Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,255

To cry 'Hold, hold!'256

Enter MACBETH. Exit HECATE.257

Great Glamis! worthy Cawdor!258

Greater than both, by the all-hail hereafter!259

Thy letters have transported me beyond260

This ignorant present, and I feel now261

The future in the instant.262

MACBETH 263

My dearest love,264

Duncan comes here to-night.265

LADY MACBETH 266

And when goes hence?267

MACBETH 268

To-morrow, as he purposes.269

LADY MACBETH 270

O, never271

Shall sun that morrow see!272

Your face, my thane, is as a book where men273

May read strange matters. To beguile the time,274

Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye,275

Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower,276

But be the serpent under't. He that's coming277

Must be provided for: and you shall put278

This night's great business into my dispatch;279

Which shall to all our nights and days to come280

Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom.281

MACBETH 282

We will speak further.283

LADY MACBETH 284

Only look up clear;285

To alter favour ever is to fear:286

Leave all the rest to me.287

Exeunt288

SCENE IV289

Enter DUNCAN, BANQUO 290

DUNCAN 291

This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air292

Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself293

Unto our gentle senses.294

BANQUO 295

This guest of summer,296

The temple-haunting martlet, does approve,297

By his loved mansionry, that the heaven's breath298

Smells wooingly here: no jutty, frieze,299

Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird300

Hath made his pendent bed and procreant cradle:301

Where they most breed and haunt, I have observed,302

The air is delicate.303

Enter LADY MACBETH304

DUNCAN 305

See, see, our honour'd hostess!306

The love that follows us sometime is our trouble,307

Which still we thank as love. Herein I teach you308

How you shall bid God 'ild us for your pains,309

And thank us for your trouble.310

LADY MACBETH 311

All our service312

In every point twice done and then done double313

DUNCAN 314

Where's the thane of Cawdor?315

We are your guest to-night.316

LADY MACBETH 317

Your servants ever318

DUNCAN 319

Give me your hand;320

Conduct me to mine host: we love him highly,321

And shall continue our graces towards him.322

By your leave, hostess.323

Exeunt324

SCENE V325

Enter MACBETH326

MACBETH 327

If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well328

It were done quickly: if the assassination329

Could trammel up the consequence, and catch330

With his surcease success; that but this blow331

Might be the be-all and the end-all here,332

But here, upon this bank and shoal of time,333

We'ld jump the life to come. But in these cases334

We still have judgment here; that we but teach335

Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return336

To plague the inventor: this even-handed justice337

Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice338

To our own lips. He's here in double trust;339

First, as I am his kinsman and his subject,340

Strong both against the deed; then, as his host,341

Who should against his murderer shut the door,342

Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan343

Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been344

So clear in his great office, that his virtues345

Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against346

The deep damnation of his taking-off;347

And pity, like a naked new-born babe,348

Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed349

Upon the sightless couriers of the air,350

Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,351

That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur352

To prick the sides of my intent, but only353

Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself354

And falls on the other.355

Enter LADY MACBETH356

How now! what news?357

LADY MACBETH 358

He has almost supp'd: why have you left the chamber?359

MACBETH 360

Hath he ask'd for me?361

LADY MACBETH 362

Know you not he has?363

MACBETH 364

We will proceed no further in this business:365

He hath honour'd me of late; and I have bought366

Golden opinions from all sorts of people,367

Which would be worn now in their newest gloss,368

Not cast aside so soon.369

LADY MACBETH 370

Was the hope drunk371

Wherein you dress'd yourself? hath it slept since?372

And wakes it now, to look so green and pale373

At what it did so freely? From this time374

Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard375

To be the same in thine own act and valour376

As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that377

Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life,378

And live a coward in thine own esteem,379

Letting 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would,'380

Like the poor cat i' the adage?381

MACBETH 382

Prithee, peace:383

I dare do all that may become a man;384

Who dares do more is none.385

LADY MACBETH 386

What beast was't, then,387

That made you break this enterprise to me?388

When you durst do it, then you were a man;389

And, to be more than what you were, you would390

Be so much more the man. Nor time nor place391

Did then adhere, and yet you would make both:392

They have made themselves, and that their fitness now393

Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know394

How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me:395

I would, while it was smiling in my face,396

Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,397

And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you398

Have done to this.399

MACBETH 400

If we should fail?401

LADY MACBETH 402

We fail!403

But screw your courage to the sticking-place,404

And we'll not fail. When Duncan is asleep--405

Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey406

Soundly invite him--his two chamberlains407

Will I with wine and wassail so convince408

That memory, the warder of the brain,409

Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason410

A limbeck only: when in swinish sleep411

Their drenched natures lie as in a death,412

What cannot you and I perform upon413

The unguarded Duncan? what not put upon414

His spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt415

Of our great quell?416

MACBETH 417

Bring forth men-children only;418

For thy undaunted mettle should compose419

Nothing but males. Will it not be received,420

When we have mark'd with blood those sleepy two421

Of his own chamber and used their very daggers,422

That they have done't?423

LADY MACBETH 424

Who dares receive it other,425

As we shall make our griefs and clamour roar426

Upon his death?427

MACBETH 428

I am settled, and bend up429

Each corporal agent to this terrible feat.430

Away, and mock the time with fairest show:431

False face must hide what the false heart doth know.432

Exit all but MACBETH433