Research...

I'm deep in the middle of research for a new play I'm directing this autumn, KING MACBETH.
Deborah McAndrew's new verse play explores the life of the real Scottish King in the mid 11th Century in Scotland, and examines the motivations behind how and why he came to power. Shakespeare's intentions for writing his MACBETH were often at odds with telling the story of the real king, and yet it is his version which we now cling to as being the story of an honorable king Duncan who was murdered by a man clinging onto the prophecies of the three sisters of fate with his manipulative wife using every tactic to persuade him to kill Duncan. In the real story Duncan is Macbeth's cousin and the current king is called Malcolm (the Second). We begin in 1020 when the young Macbeth has just learnt of the death of his father who has been murdered by one of his cousins.... Any more and I'll be revealing the plot so you'll have to come and see it!

I'm enjoying the research period, and piecing together what little we know of the real King and the life of Scotland in the 11th Century (where it is all the rage to kill to acquire power and few eyelashes were batted!). From this I am examining the motives which are explicitly on the page; and also more implicit motives of honour, shame and jealousy and how person qualities affect motive. I'm currently using Cameron Taylor and Alistair Murray's fantastic book On the Trail of King Macbeth as stimulus and background reading. I'm especially excited about going on a three day research trip starting in Inverness to retrace Macbeth's steps and to get a living, breathing insight into the landscape to try and get a glimpse into the psyche and lands which Macbeth, Duncan and Gruoch (the basis for Lady Macbeth) held so dear.

Some Links:
www.kingmacbeth.com/index.htm
(To Taylor and Murray's site on the real King Macbeth)
www.revealtheatre.co.uk
(to Reveal Theatre's site for production news)