Macbeth Interview by Elisabeth Laria
Interviewer: Good morning, today we have the director of the exciting and subversive new take on Macbeth that is taking Broadway by storm! Here is Elisabeth Laria to tell us a little bit more about it.
Director: Yes, thank you for having for having me. This is definitely not the Macbeth most people know.
I: Yes, this sounds totally different to the Macbeth I know. What has changed in your adaptation, and why did you decide to modernise it in this way?
D: I decided to modernise it by completely changing the setting, era and gender of some characters. I chose to do this because the themes of Macbeth are still highly relevant to society today, and this adaptation makes those themes more relatable to a modern
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The character of Macbeth fits perfectly in Hollywood, because to succeed in Hollywood you need to be ambitious, ruthless and be willing to do anything. Macbeth has also been gender-flipped, to become Macy Macbeth, a ruthless, aspiring, actress who will do anything to become famous. The same themes you know from Macbeth still apply; ambition, immorality, greed and power just in a different setting.
I: That’s really interesting, I can definitely see actors doing questionable things, to rise to the top of Hollywood. The original Macbeth is ruined by his ambition and immorality, how is your ‘Macbeth’ undone?
D: Macy, is a complex character. She has always wanted to be famous, but was not driven enough to achieve her dreams. This changes when she meets Mason, who is pushing her and acts as a manager for her. He pushes her to accept more roles, and to ultimately blackmail Danielle. She is finally undone by Meredith, a close confidant of Danielle who discovers her treacherous acts and exposes her. This leads to the ‘death’ of her career. In this adaptation Macy doesn’t die, like the original Macbeth but is destroyed, along with her career. To Macy, a life without fame, isn’t a life worth living.
I: I always found the witches to be the creepiest characters in Macbeth. In your adaptation who plays the role of the three
William Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Macbeth, is a tragedy brilliantly brought to the 21st Century by Rupert Goold. Although Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a play set in 16th Century Scotland, Rupert Goold modernizes the play by changing the setting to a Soviet-styled country and implementing modern elements into the characters and theme. Although Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Rupert Goold’s film adaptation share many ideologies and a general storyline, a difference exists in the setting, the characters, and the overall ambience of the story.
”Macbeth retold” uses themes similar to the original play but uses a modified plot to appeal to the more modern audience. Retold utilises settings to create a controversial atmosphere. In contrast Shakespeare’s Macbeth uses an array of themes, a historical plot and language features that revolve around Elizabethan times. Even though the similarities are quite apparent, there are also some less obvious differences, the differences improve the sensitive response and the understanding that a modern audience may consume.
The things that would change is that Macbeth wouldn’t have been king. Macbeth would of been president becuase in this era there are no kings and Lady Macbeth would of been the first lady. Also about the killings would of been way different for example when Macbeth kills the current king with a dagger Macbeth would of done it differently in this time period becuase in this time period they gave guns with suppresors they have hitman that could do the job for you and they won’t get caught. Also the three witches (The three weird sisters) When Macbeth came across the the three weird sister he asked them about his future etc… but now in the 20th century there is some way witches but they are more like mind readers and fortune tellers.
The story in Macbeth is not relevant to modern audiences. The language in the play Macbeth is too difficult for modern audiences to connect with. The storyline is based around a general who is prophesised to become king, to achieve this goal he has to kill and eventually becomes a tyrant. This can be seen when Lady Macbeth
There was a clear distinction between the book, Macbeth and the 2010 version of the movie, Macbeth, but there were also some similarities included, to prove that it was still Macbeth. In contrast with the book, the movie took place closer to the present, beginning with a civil war and men using weapons that corresponded with its time period, which was fair for an interpretation. Conversely, I felt as though it lost some of its charm, because I truly believed that I, along with every single person who had read Macbeth, would have envisioned the setting to take place in an older period of time.
All in all, the play is all dialogue and text,meaning directors can go all on out with; costumes,sets and the like.With this freedom in direction, there are many adaptations of Macbeth by Shakespear.These adaptations and different versions of the Macbeth brings different
Macbeth’s storyline is not relevant to modern audiences. The plot is about a general that is prophesised to become king. Him and his wife fulfil the prophesy by killing people in their way of him being king. This is shown when Banquo says “You shall be king” (Act 1, Scene 3). Modern audiences find the language of Macbeth hard to understand because of the long sentences and old English used. This can be seen by Macbeth “Accursed be that tongue that tells me so, For it hath cowed my better part of man! And be these juggling fiends no more believed, That palter with us in a double sense, That keep the word of promise to our ear, And break it to our hope. I’ll not fight with thee” (Act 5, Scene 8). Modern Audiences cannot relate to the storyline
Director Rupert Goold created a very unconventional version of Macbeth. He gives the setting a Soviet Union feel a makes Macbeth’s character almost like Joseph Stalin in brutality and ruthlessness. The majority of the production takes place in these underground bunkers making you feel like they are in World War II. Goold put so much thought into this rendition of the Shakespearean play so you can assume he out as much though as who he casted as the main roles and how they should portray them. Some things about his character I liked, however, I did have many complaints. Goold chose Patrick Stewart as Macbeth,Kate Fleetwood as Lady Macbeth, and Sophie Hunter, Polly Frame, and Niamh McGrady as the three witches.
Polanski’s version is the best,polanski used this to vent his anger and depression from the horrific murder of his wife in california.This version put Goold to shame, it was published by the wealthy BBC. it’s superior. Scenes, wording and characters makes Polanski’s has more merit. This essay will show why Polanski film interpretation of macbeth is more sophisticated. The topics in macbeth is, Polanski makes Duncan murder come to life, Polanski version of the witches is more appropriate and it being more realistic,Polanski scenes are better and Goold did horrific on his film building skills on the Macbeth film.polanski should be recognised as the best director in this case.
Overall, though, this version of ‘Macbeth’ is definitely one to watch. The film is easy to follow and understand- making it perfect for both students and adults. Beautifully filmed and edited, this adaptation follows closely to the original whilst still adding its own twist- it’s Macbeth… but not as you know
There are many differences between interpretations of William Shakespeare's MacBeth. This essay wall contrast Shakespeare's original version and a movie version by Roman Polanski produced in 1970. Three major differences will be discussed.
“Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind. Nay, it is greatly overrated; and it is our selfishness which overrates it.” — Henry David Thoreau, “Economy,” Walden
Rupert Goold`s brilliance was on full display the way he was able to make this film Macbeth, a huge success the way he interchanged the play's initial renaissance theme taking place in the 1600s. He recreated the play into a more modern day version, appealing to the viewer's understanding of what's taking place. While the characters conversed with each other in the same old school english wordplay. What I really found fascinating was how Lady Macbeth, played by Kate Fleetwood and her husband Macbeth, played by Patrick Stewart, dramatized their plots to steal the throne. The lust for power portrayed by both creates suspense in the sense that most of their peers were oblivious to their true intentions, as they go on about to eliminate anyones
Why do people oftentimes stay up way past their bedtimes reading a book? Why do they spend every and any chance they get reading their chosen book? Well for most, it’s because they love that the author poured their heart and soul into the work of literature. Some authors, such as J.K. Rowling, are better at producing well written works of art than other authors like E.L. James (Full offense).
Lady Macbeth had a very powerful hold over Macbeth. Just by questioning his valor she could shift Macbeth’s whole thought process and second-guessing of the murder of Duncan (Booth, 24), and he allows it because he cannot bear to disappoint her. His love for her and need for her approval is what ultimately leads him to commit each and every one of his crimes. She is the center of his world and if she does not see a problem in the murders than why should he. This is naïve ignorance caused by a blindness that is induced by love, and that is both heart breaking and tragic.