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  Drink to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss;

  Would he were here!

  DOCTOR

  [whisper] Now!

  BANQUO reappears, standing on the table in front of MACBETH.

  MACBETH leaps out of his seat in terror, spilling his wine.

  MACBETH

  [to BANQUO] Avaunt! And quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!

  Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;

  Thou hast no speculation in those eyes,

  Which thou dost glare with. Hence, horrible shadow!

  Unreal mock’ry, hence!

  BANQUO adjusts the necklace and vanishes.

  MACBETH shakes in fright. LADY MACBETH approaches him.

  LADY MACBETH

  You have displac’d the mirth, broke the good meeting,

  With most direful disorder.

  MACBETH

  Can such things be?

  My skin is blanch’d with fear.

  ROSSE

  What things, my Lord?

  LADY MACBETH

  I pray you, speak not; he grows worse and worse;

  But go at once.

  LENOX

  Good night, and better health

  Attend his Majesty!

  LADY MACBETH

  A kind good night to all!

  ROSSE, LENOX, the Lords and Attendants leave.

  DOCTOR

  [whisper] All right, Banquo. I think we have convinc’d

  Him of your death. You must to Wales depart

  And join thy son.

  BANQUO

  [invisible, whisper] Yes, Doctor. It’s been fun.

  MACBETH stands aside, deep in thought.

  MACBETH

  I will go to consult the Weird Sisters:

  More shall they speak; for now I am bent to know

  By the worst means, the worst. I am in blood

  Stepp’d in so far, that, should I wade no more,

  Returning were as tedious as go o’er.

  Strange things I have in head, that will to hand,

  Which must be acted, ere they may be scann’d!

  Exit MACBETH and LADY MACBETH.

  DOCTOR

  ‘Weird Sisters’? Oh my word, he means Jamie, Zoe and me!

  In a sudden panic, DOCTOR scurries out.

  ACT IV, SCENE I – A CAVE ON THE HEATH

  The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE stand around a bubbling cauldron. They are all wearing rags and apply mud to their faces to disguise themselves as witches.

  JAMIE

  I still don’t know why we have to do this.

  ZOE

  Because it’s in the play.

  DOCTOR

  And not just that

  We have to lull Macbeth into a false

  Sense of security so when Macduff’s

  Army arrives it catches him off-guard.

  JAMIE

  What’s yon gadget you have there, Doctor?

  He indicates a large, metal box set to one side of the cave.

  DOCTOR

  An instrument of mine that should convince

  Macbeth of evr’y word that we shall speak.

  Are we all set?

  ZOE

  Of course. I’ve memorised

  The entire play by heart.

  DOCTOR

  Then you can do

  The talking. Jamie and I will join in.

  JAMIE

  Join in with what? [Sound of someone approaching through undergrowth]

  ZOE

  [clears throat, then clearly and precisely] By the pricking of my thumbs,

  Something wicked this way comes.

  Enter MACBETH.

  MACBETH

  How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags!

  What is’t you do?

  ZOE

  A deed without a name. [DOCTOR and JAMIE join in, doing women’s voices]

  MACBETH

  I conjure you, by that which you profess,

  Howe’er you come to know it, answer me:

  Though you untie the winds and let them fight

  Against the churches; though the yesty waves –

  DOCTOR

  [high-pitched] Yes, yes, yes, you can skip all that.

  ZOE We’ll answer. Pour in sow’s blood, that hath eaten

  Her nine farrow; grease that’s sweaten

  From the murderer’s gibbet throw

  Into the flame. [Adds ingredients to cauldron, causing a burst of flame]

  ZOE, DOCTOR, JAMIE

  Come, high or low;

  Thyself and office deftly show!

  The Doctor clicks a device. The metal box doth project an image of Macduff on the cave wall.

  ZOE

  [speaking into a wand, her voice is amplified and echoes terribly]

  Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff!

  Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough!

  MACBETH

  Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution, thanks;

  Thou hast harp’d my fear aright: but one word more –

  ZOE He will not be commanded: here’s another,

  More potent than the first.

  An image of a newborn baby appears on the cave wall.

  ZOE

  Be bloody, bold, and resolute; laugh to scorn

  The power of man, for none of woman born

  Shall harm Macbeth.

  MACBETH

  Then live, Macduff: what need I fear of thee?

  But yet I’ll make assurance double sure,

  And take a bond of fate: thou shalt not live.

  Now the image of a boy wearing a crown appears.

  MACBETH

  What is this

  That rises like the issue of a King,

  And wears upon his baby-brow the round

  And top of sovereignty?

  ZOE

  Be lion-mettled, proud; and take no care

  Who chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are:

  Macbeth shall never vanquish’d be until

  Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill

  Shall come against him.

  The Doctor waves his hand and the image vanishes.

  MACBETH

  That will never be!

  Who can impress the forest, bid the tree

  Unfix his earth-bound root? And yet my heart

  Throbs to know one thing: tell me, if your art

  Can tell so much: shall Banquo’s issue ever

  Reign in this kingdom?

  ZOE

  Seek to know no more!

  MACBETH

  I will be satisfied: deny me this,

  And an eternal curse fall on you! Let me know!

  DOCTOR

  [high-pitched] Show!

  JAMIE

  [high-pitched] Show!

  ZOE

  Show his eyes, and grieve his heart;

  Come like shadows, so depart! [she throws another ingredient into the cauldron. There is a burst of flame and it is extinguished]

  The DOCTOR works his magick and images of future Scottish Kings appear on the cave wall.

  MACBETH is transfixed.

  MACBETH

  Thou art too like the spirit of Banquo: down!

  Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls. And thy hair,

  Thou other gold-bound brow, is like the first.

  A third is like the former. Filthy hags!

  Why do you show me this? A fourth! Start, eyes!

  What, will the line stretch out to the crack of doom?

  The magick light show ends, plunging the cave into darkness.

  MACBETH

  Where are they? Gone? Let this pernicious hour

  Stand aye accursed in the calendar!

  Come in, without there!

  Enter LENOX, carrying a torch.

  LENOX

  What’s your grace’s will?

  MACBETH

  Saw you the Weird Sisters?

  LENOX

  No, my lord.

  MACBETH


  Infected be the air whereon they ride;

  And damn’d all those that trust them! I did hear

  The galloping of horse: who was’t came by?

  LENOX

  ’Tis two or three, my lord, that bring you word

  Macduff is fled to England.

  MACBETH

  Fled to England?

  LENOX

  Ay, my good lord.

  MACBETH

  Time, thou anticipatest my dread exploits:

  The castle of Macduff I will surprise;

  Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o’ the sword

  His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls

  That trace him in a line.

  Exeunt MACBETH and LENOX

  The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE emerge from their hiding place.

  JAMIE

  He’s going to have Macduff’s wife killed? And his children too?

  DOCTOR

  Not if we can help it, Jamie. We shall

  Change from these rags to villains’ semblances.

  And once more offer our assistance to the King . . .

  ACT IV, SCENE II – A ROOM IN MACDUFF’S CASTLE

  LADY MACDUFF and her children. The DOCTOR and JAMIE enter, dressed in their hooded coats.

  LADY MACDUFF

  Who art thou? To me thou art not known.

  DOCTOR

  We’ve come to warn thou art in danger grave,

  If you will take a homely man’s advice

  Be not found here; hence, with thy little ones.

  LADY MACDUFF

  Whither should I fly? I have done no harm.

  DOCTOR

  The King’s accus’d Macduff of treason high,

  And ordered us to kill you here to-night.

  LADY MACDUFF

  Thou liest, thou . . . shag-hair’d villain!

  JAMIE

  But if you leave now, we’ll go back to the King and tell him we killed you,

  And he won’t send anyone else after you.

  DOCTOR

  Alas, I fear you have no choice, my dear.

  When I the word ‘run’ sayeth, thou must run!

  Run!

  Exit LADY MACDUFF with her children.

  JAMIE

  Do you think they’ll be all right, Doctor?

  DOCTOR

  Oh, I expect so Jamie. They just need

  To lie low for a while. You see, Macbeth’s

  Black days are number’d. Come, let’s Zoe find.

  ACT V, SCENE I – A PASSAGE IN MACBETH’S CASTLE

  The DOCTOR and JAMIE enter, still in their coats.

  A WAITING GENTLEWOMAN enters.

  GENTLEWOMAN

  Pray, is one of you the Doctor?

  JAMIE

  The Doctor?

  GENTLEWOMAN

  The Doctor call’d to discover the cure

  To Lady Macbeth’s new-found malady.

  The Doctor removes his coat.

  DOCTOR

  [adopts educated Edinburgh accent] Yes, I’m the Doctor.

  [rubs hands] Tell me, what is wrong?

  GENTLEWOMAN

  Since his majesty went into the field, I have seen

  her rise from her bed, throw her night-gown upon

  her, unlock her closet, take forth paper, fold it,

  write upon’t, read it, afterwards seal it, and again

  return to bed; yet all this while in a most fast sleep.

  DOCTOR

  I see . . . In this slumbery agitation, besides her

  Walking and other actual performances, what, at any

  Time, have you heard her say?

  GENTLEWOMAN

  That, sir, which I will not report after her.

  DOCTOR

  You may to me: and ’tis most meet you should.

  Enter LADY MACBETH holding a lit candle.

  GENTLEWOMAN

  Lo you, here she comes! This is her very guise;

  and, upon my life, fast asleep. Observe her; stand close.

  JAMIE

  Doctor, her eyes are open!

  GENTLEWOMAN

  Aye, but their sense is shut.

  LADY MACBETH puts down the candle and wrings her hands.

  DOCTOR

  What is it she does now? Look, how she rubs her hands.

  GENTLEWOMAN

  It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands: I have known her continue in this a quarter of an hour.

  DOCTOR

  She would appear to be beset with some

  Form of obsessive compulsive sickness . . .

  LADY MACBETH

  Out, damned spot! out, I say! – One: two: why,

  then, ’tis time to do’t. – Hell is murky! – Fie, my

  lord, fie! Yet who would have thought the old man

  to have had so much blood in him?

  DOCTOR

  Did you hear that?

  GENTLEWOMAN

  She has spoke what she should not, I am sure of that: Heaven knows what she has known.

  Exit LADY MACBETH.

  DOCTOR

  Will she go now to bed?

  GENTLEWOMAN

  Directly.

  DOCTOR

  Foul whisperings are abroad: unnatural deeds

  Do breed unnatural troubles. Look after her;

  Remove from her the means of all annoyance,

  And still keep eyes upon her. So, good night.

  GENTLEWOMAN

  Good night, good doctor.

  Exit GENTLEWOMAN.

  JAMIE

  What d’you think’s wrong with her, Doctor? Sleepwalking?

  DOCTOR

  I’m not sure, Jamie. Parasomnia?

  Or post-traumatic stress disorder? Poor woman.

  JAMIE

  Poor woman? She goaded her husband into killing the King!

  DOCTOR

  Even so. But I’m afraid she is past curing now . . .

  ACT V, SCENE III – THE CASTLE THRONE ROOM

  Enter MACBETH with the DOCTOR and JAMIE, no longer wearing their coats. The DOCTOR is wearing spectacles. A SERVANT enters.

  MACBETH

  The devil damn thee black, thou cream-faced loon!

  Where got’st thou that goose look?

  SERVANT

  There is ten thousand –

  MACBETH

  Geese, villain?

  SERVANT

  Soldiers, sir. Outside the castle!

  MACBETH

  What soldiers, whey-face?

  SERVANT

  The English force, so please you.

  MACBETH

  Take thy face hence.

  Exit SERVANT

  How does your patient, Doctor?

  DOCTOR

  [educated Edinburgh accent] Not so sick, my lord,

  As she is troubled with thick coming fancies,

  That keep her from her rest.

  MACBETH

  Cure her of that.

  Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased,

  Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,

  Raze out the written troubles of the brain

  And with some sweet oblivious antidote

  Cleanse the stuff’d bosom of that perilous stuff

  Which weighs upon the heart?

  DOCTOR

  Therein the patient

  Must minister to himself.

  MACBETH

  Throw physic to the dogs; I’ll none of it. –

  I’ll put mine armour on and fetch my staff.

  I will not be afraid of death and bane,

  Till Birnam forest come to Dunsinane.

  Exit MACBETH.

  JAMIE

  He’s going to fight the English army?

  DOCTOR

  Yes, fight and lose. He won’t realise his men

  Are massively outnumber’d ’til it’s far

  Too late because the English army have

  Their awful might conceal’d with camouflage.

  JAMIE

&nbs
p; Camouflage?

  DOCTOR

  With leaves and twigs disguis’d. So as far as

  Macbeth’s concern’d, it will the prophecy fulfil

  As Birnhamwood has come to Dunsinane.

  JAMIE

  Well, not really.

  DOCTOR

  It’s close enough. Let’s go and Zoe meet.

  Our time in Scotland’s discord is complete.

  ACT V, SCENE IV – BIRNAM WOOD

  Drum and colours. Enter MALCOLM, SIWARD and BANQUO, MACDUFF, MENTEITH, LENOX, ROSSE, and the Soldiers of the English army.

  SIWARD

  What wood is this before us?

  MENTEITH

  The wood of Birnam.

  Enter ZOE.

  MACDUFF

  What art thou doing here? This is no place

  For thou, wee slip o’girl. Get thee off home!

  ZOE

  I think you’ll find I can for myself fend.

  BANQUO

  I recognise this girl! She is a friend,

  Who aided my escape and of my son.

  ZOE

  How is he?

  BANQUO

  In Wales he’s safe bestow’d. I left to join

  This army rais’d by Malcolm to remove

  Macbeth the cruel usurper from his throne.

  ZOE

  That’s why I’m here. I’ve come to help you win.

  MALCOLM

  Help us? How?

  ZOE

  Macbeth expects your assault. So you must

  Use camouflage.

  MACDUFF

  What is this ‘camouflage’?

  ZOE

  The wood. Let every soldier hew down a bough,

  And bear’t before him: thereby shall you shadow

  The numbers of our host, and make discovery

  Err in report of you.

  MALCOLM

  It shall be done.

  The soldiers disguise themselves with branches and leaves and exeunt, marching.

  ACT V, SCENE VIII – OUTSIDE THE CASTLE

  The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE slip outside through a side-door as the English army lays siege to main gates.

  JAMIE

  Those gates won’t keep them out for long.

  DOCTOR

  And that’s it for Macbeth. Out, out, brief candle.

  Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

  That struts and frets his hour upon a stage

  And then is heard no more.

  The English army smash through the gates and swarm into the castle.

  ZOE

  So Shakespeare had it right, then, after all?

  DOCTOR

  Not quite.

  Imagine if we had not interven’d

  How many more foul murders there’d have been.