Advanced Level

Preparing for Text in Performance Question

Macbeth Act 1 Scenes 1 and 2

Make sure these 5 aspects of the scene are covered by the students:

• how the characters speak and moves

• how the characters react to each other

• how the characters’ feelings influence the way they speak (e.g. tone of voice)

• the language which is used for emphasis and why this is done

• facial expressions of characters

Remember, this is still a question about language.

1) Arrange class into groups of 3.

2) Each group prepares and presents 3 still images entitled The Murder. Thought tap the characters in the images. Link the images with action.

3) Read the events of Act 1 in Macbeth and explain the context at the start of Act 2 (if you haven’t already covered Act1 with the class).

4) Give out the following lines from scene 1 to half the groups:

• BANQUO: Hold, take my sword. There’s husbandry in heaven/Their candles are all out.

• BANQUO: Thanks sir, the like to you.

• MACBETH: Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible/To feeling as to sight?

And give out these lines from scene 2 to the rest of the groups:

• LADY MACBETH: That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold…

• MACBETH: Who’s there? What ho!

• LADY MACBETH: Alack, I am afraid they have awaked,/And ‘tis done.

5) Each student in group selects one of the lines and then each student takes a turn to allow other two to sculpt them into the position the character would be in when the line is spoken. When the sculptors are happy, allow the character to speak the line. Highlight individuals to class and discuss effectiveness.

6) Give out edited scenes to groups (half groups will be working on scene 1, half on scene 2). Ask each group to produce 3 still images of their scene. Thought tap each group in turn as the images are frozen. Make groups redraft to communicate meaning intelligibly.

7) Forum theatre- of opening of scene 1 (till line 12 ‘A friend’) (choose one group and act it in front of class, with them making suggestions about how to improve it and add in actions, intonation of voice etc.):

BANQUO: How goes the night, boy?

FLEANCE: The moon is down.

BANQUO: And she goes down at twelve.

FLEANCE: I take’t, ’tis later, sir.

BANQUO: Hold, take my sword. There’s husbandry in heaven,

Their candles are all out. Take thee that too.

A heavy summons lies like lead upon me,

And yet I would not sleep. Merciful powers,

Restrain in me the cursed thoughts that