Macbeth

[TheOfficialBren]

Has anyone ever seen a PERIOD CORRECT portrayal of Scottish Historical dress in Macbeth?

[Downunder Kilt]

OB hush thy mouth, you have committed the mortal sin by naming "The Scottish Play" you will now have the Scottish Curse fall upon you
Be quick young man and off for a round of cleansing rituals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scottish_Play

I was in the play in High School, but it was far from "period"

[John_Carrick]

The Roman Polanski film maybe?
It was jolly good anyway.
There is a grand chamber in Holyrood with paintings of every Scottish monarch and he is there. From the sound of it he was not particularly nasty by the standards of the time.
John

[fluter]

OB hush thy mouth, you have committed the mortal sin by naming "The Scottish Play"

That only applies if you are physically within a theatre.

As to period correct, that would mean no kilts as he lived in the 11th century.

[Chas]

That only applies if you are physically within a theatre.

No, No.

The Scottish Play and the The Bard's Play are euphemisms for William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The first is a reference to the play's Scottish setting, the second a reference to Shakespeare's popular nickname. According to a theatrical superstition, called the Scottish curse, speaking the name Macbeth outside a theatre will cause disaster. A variation of the superstition forbids direct quotation of the play (except during rehearsals) while inside a theater.

I've just sneezed twice - I think I am coming down with the plague, or something worse!

We're all dooomed, Dooooomed I tell you!

Regards

Chas

[macwilkin]

Check out the 1948 Orson Welles production. Was it 100% "historically accurate"? No, but Welles did not put Macbeth in Shakespeare's time (or the Middle Ages) in terms of material culture. His version has a distinctly "dark ages" feel to it, plus Welles actually has his cast speak with a Scottish brogue.

And I must respectfully disagree with Chas; the superstition surrounding the name of the "Scottish play" does only apply when one is inside a theatre -- this comes straight from my father, who was a Shakespearean actor in a local troupe for a number of years. My father invoked St. Genesius, the patron saint of actors*, in such situations, but there is always:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h--HR7PWfp0

*He wore a St. Genesius medal in every performace.

T.

[JonathanB]

I was told by a professional actor, that the restrictions on naming the Scotttish play only applies in the theater (or theatre as I'd spell it).

Does anyone have a clue what was worn in Scotland in the historical Macbeth's time?

[TheOfficialBren]

Fluter, I am aware that during the 11th century (about 30 years before the Norman Conquest) the kilt was still almost 450 years away.

MacBeth was regarded, historically, as a capable monarch who was overthrown by ambitious thanes (similar to Girik's userpation of Constantine and Donald's rightful sovereignty, although my history could be a bit mufddy here; feel free to correct me). For some reason the year 1034 sticks out for me but I could bmixing up some Anglo-Saxon dates and history here.

With regard to dress of the day, probably similar dress to that of the Saxons and Vikings. Penanular broaches and cloaks, maybe a brat or a leine, even.
Regarding arms and armour certainly a lot of maille armour hauberks and the Norman-styled helms (conical, with and without a noseguard). Not likely that maille trousers would be worn, that was more an invemntion of the 12th century. Most men would have worn gambesson en lieu of even maille since it was expensive. Swords of the Oakeshott Type-X variety, axes of the Norse variety, shields of the Saxon and Norse variety, althogh the stray Norman style would start to creep in occasionally (although cavalry was very much a Norman method rather than a Scottish method of attack in those days and the Norman shield, although serviceable amongst infantry is best suited for the mounted warrior). I mention arms and armour so extensively because it is integral to the plot and the period being discussed.

We must remember that the King Edward of England in "Macbeth" is none other than King Edward the Confessor. Edward was raised as a Norman by Normans in Normandy. His court (and to a lesser degree the Scottish court) was already being influenced by and occupied by Norman administrators and advisors, although not yet the majority.

It is arguably during this Norman period that Britain as a whole (especially England) began to become more "European" than during any other time in its history, ultimately apexing during the rise of the Plantagenets under Henry II (whose territory stretched from the Lowlands of Scotland to the Pyranees). He spoke French and treated his English holdings as seperae but equal to his holdings in Aquitaine, Normandy, and Gascony.

Shakespeare's "histories" are remarkably modern in the way that he treated history...comparable to Hollywood's treatment of history in cinema. It's no wonder that Macbeth, one of Scotland's most able monarchs during that period has such a bad reputation.

Regarding the theatrical tradition, if I am not mistaken, I believe that one only refers to "Macbeth" as "the Scottish play" when one is within the theatre during a production cycle (pre-production/rehearsal/performance). I may be mistaken about that, though, as it has been some years since I have been around the theatre.


I apologise for rambling so much but THAT is what I want to see in a production of "Macbeth"-- period-correct costuming, choreography, and atmosphere.

Truth be told, there would certainly be a Norman "flair" to the Gaelic atmosphere, particularly in the locales of the setting.

[John_Carrick]

The Stuarts had also just come in to power in England and Shakespeare was looking to ingratiate himself with the new royal house. Banquo and his son Fleance represented the Stuarts ("What will the line stretch to to the crack of doom?") and poor old Macbeth was toast.
John

[TheOfficialBren]

John, WELL-spotted, sir. I had not made that connexion before.