MacbethMacbethThe Cursed Play

Amanda Davis

The Big Question•Every time the play Macbeth is

played something strange always happens.

•During the first performance of Macbeth, William Shakespeare himself was forced to play Lady Macbeth when the boy designated to play her suddenly became overcome with sickness and died.

•During its 1849 performance at New York's Astor Place, 31 people were trampled to death in a riot that had broken out.

• In 1934, British actor Malcolm Keen turned mute on stage, and his replacement developed a high fever and had to be hospitalized.

• In 1937, a 25 pound stage weight crashed within an inch of him Laurence Olivier (who was playing Macbeth). Not only that, but his sword broke on stage flew into the audience, hitting a man who later suffered a heart attack.

The Big Question cont..

•Supposedly, saying the name "Macbeth" inside a theater will bring bad luck to the play and anyone acting in it.

• The only exception is when the word is spoken as a line in the play. In order to reverse the bad luck, the person who uttered the word must exit the theater, spin around three times saying a profanity, and then ask for permission to return inside.

http://home.flash.net/~manniac/macb.htm

Should Lady Should Lady Macbeth be Macbeth be

the same age the same age as Lord as Lord

Macbeth? Macbeth? 

I believe that Lady Macbeth is a little younger than Macbeth, but her appearance is not much discussed.  Lady Macbeth is strong, faithful, and ambitious.  In the early parts of the play, she had to convince Macbeth that he should kill Duncan and get the throne showing her ambition.

What do the What do the predictions made predictions made

by the three by the three witches mean and witches mean and

what is the what is the significance that significance that there are three there are three

weird sisters and weird sisters and why the term why the term

sisters?sisters?

Who is the Who is the historical historical figure of figure of

Macbeth?Macbeth?

Is Macbeth a Is Macbeth a good man good man who grows who grows

into a into a villain? villain? 

Tomorrow, Tomorrow Speech

MACBETH: Wherefore was that cry?

SEYTON: The queen, my lord, is dead.

MACBETH: She should have died hereafter;There would have been a time for such a word.To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,Creeps in this petty pace from day to dayTo the last syllable of recorded time,And all our yesterdays have lighted foolsThe way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!Life's but a walking shadow, a poor playerThat struts and frets his hour upon the stageAnd then is heard no more: it is a taleTold by an idiot, full of sound and fury,Signifying nothing