Still, I have reservations about the whole Shakespeare industry. the NTS' Macbeth was a success because it had Alan Cumming: the actual script was far less memorable than the moments when Cumming pulled the guts out of the bird, freaked out at the memory of his character's crime, or camped up King Duncan in a knowing aside at the tradition of English actors who overplay the bard.
It's not that I don't like Shakespeare: it's just that it is so much more interesting when his words are the basis of something, rather than the whole point. So, yes, Macbeth is Scots does fascinate me... and Mike Duffy, the director, was good enough to tell me more...
Mike Duffy: It is well known as “The Scottish Play!” It is played regularly in the Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe - and all over the world- in many different languages – we felt it was time The Scottish Play came home.
It was written to please a Scottish King, James VI (later James I of England) who licensed Shakespeare’s company as The King’s Men within weeks of his coming to the English throne. The Scots language expresses the dark imagery of the original very well and gives new life to some of weel-kent speeches. Liz Lochhead had no doubts about the worth of the project: “From a simple reading of Robin Lorimer's translation of MacBeth I know it to be muscular, passionate, dark, and very, very rich. It will certainly add an extra frisson to Shakespeare's most headlong and thrilling psychological horror story to hear it in such Scots.”
There is no reason why anyone should take MacBeth in Scots to be more “real” than the original. But in any case nobody expects Shakespeare’s plays to be historically accurate. He wasn’t one to spoil a good story by worrying too much about facts. Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s Tragedies not a History. It is all about the struggle for power – a common Shakespeare theme.
How does it fit in with the shakespeare festival that is going on around the UK?
The Globe Theatre in London is putting on all 37 Shakespeare plays in 37 different language - but not in Scots. We are very pleased to be filling the gap by performing the Scottish Play in Scots at the RSC’s World Theatre Festival in Stratford upon Avon . The Edinburgh International Festival is featuring a Macbeth in Polish, a Midsummer Night’s Dream in Russian and The Rape of Lucrece performed by an Irish singer – but we will be performing the Scottish Play in Scots for two weeks on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Is shakespeare a writer who has much to say to scotland these days?
Shakespeare has plenty to say to everybody. That is why his plays are performed all over the world (yes, in Scotland too!) Struggles for power are universal. In the Scottish context we currently have the debate about Independence.
In the particular case of Macbeth most schoolchildren study the play. There is currently a Scottish Parliament backed movement for children to get in touch with their own Scots language. The translation of Shakespeare into Scots helps to give the language the respect it deserves.
When you produced it, did this version force any interpretations that surprised you?
The Scots language forces Gruoch (Lady Macbeth) to be strong and earthy – no holds barred – as she argues the case for Duncan’s murder. Also the importance of the English backing of Malcolm’s claim to the throne also comes out much more clearly. Each time Earl Siward and his son speak the original lines in English it sound quite shockingly alien to the cast who are thinking in Scots.
Not only does it reflect the reality of English interference in Scottish history, it has a contemporary frisson with world powers intervening in regime change. Most of all it is very moving when the actors bewail the state of Scotland in Scots rather than in R.P English.
Monday 6th August – Saturday 18th August 7.30 p.m
Saturday 11th / 18th August at 2.30 p.m. and 7.30 pm.
St Ninians Hall, Comely Bank Road, Edinburgh EH4 1AF
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