School Radio - BBCdownloads.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/pdfs/macbeth/macbeth_transcript… · School Radio MACBETH by William Shakespeare Episode 2 Adapted by Neil Richards SCENE 11: LADY
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NARRATOR Macbeth has been crowned King of Scotland. The day of his corona-tion is to end with a great banquet to celebrate. In her bedroom, Lady Macbeth waits for her husband. She’s having second thoughts…
LADY MACBETH All I ever wanted was for Macbeth to be king. Now that he is - I wish it had never happened. Not this way.
MACBETH (ENTERING) Are you ready my queen? We should go down.
LADY MACBETH What are you planning Macbeth?
MACBETH Just wait...
LADY MACBETH I can’t go on like this.
MACBETH You won’t have to. Soon it will be night - and in the night, anything is possible.
LADY MACBETH What do you mean?
MACBETH Best you don’t know. Trust me.
LADY MACBETH But –
MACBETH Come!
SCENE 12: THE HEATH
FX Night.
NARRATOR Out on the heath, night is falling. Banquo and his son Fleance have been hunting and are on their way back to Dunsinane…
FLEANCE Are we nearly home father?
BANQUO Not far now, Fleance. Do you see? Look, through the trees. The lights of the castle.
LADY MACBETH Please, everyone, stay. This is just - an illness. The king has suffered from it since he was a boy. Don’t worry - it will go away. (TO MACBETH) What is wrong with you, Macbeth? Are you a man or what?!
MACBETH Can’t you see it? It’s Banquo! At the table. The devil himself would be scared.
LADY MACBETH Oh yes. Like the dagger in the air you told me about. Look - it’s just a stool! You’re seeing things.
NARRATOR Macbeth looks back at the table – and no longer sees Banquo’s ghost...
MACBETH What? It’s gone!
LADY MACBETH It was never there!
MACBETH No? Right. (TO ALL) Please, everybody, forgive me. I am not myself this evening. We shall have a toast.
FX Clinking glasses.
ALL A toast! A toast!
MACBETH To absent friends!
LENNOX To Banquo!
MACBETH Yes, ha - why not? To Banquo!
ALL To Banquo!
MACBETH Aaghh! No! It’s here again! Get back to your grave, you fiend!
FX Macbeth draws his sword.
I shall fight you, ghost!
LADY MACBETH My lords, ladies. I’m sorry, the king is not well. Please, leave us now. Good night.
FX Theshufflingofchairsandfeetastheyleave.
NARRATOR All the guests leave. Macbeth, still shocked, stares into space. His queen comes close...
LADY MACBETH You need sleep, my lord.
MACBETH Did you notice? Macduff wasn’t here tonight.
LADY MACBETH Macduff? What are you talking about now?
MACBETH He’s plotting, I’m sure. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the Weird Sisters again, find out what else is in store for me. This isn’t over. I’ve stepped in so much blood it’s easier now to spill more than to go back.
LADY MACBETH Come. Let’s get some sleep.
SCENE 14: THE WALLS OF DUNSINANE
NARRATOR On the walls of Dunsinane Castle, the two noblemen Ross and Lennox have found a quiet place where they cannot be overheard.
ROSS These are strange times, Lennox, strange times.
LENNOX Aye Ross, you are right. First Duncan is killed. And his sons flee.
ROSS Because they were the murderers - so says Macbeth.
LENNOX And then Banquo is killed and his son Fleance runs away.
ROSS And Macbeth says Fleance was the killer.
FX A door in the castle slams below.
Shh! Is that someone coming?
LENNOX Even up here we’re not safe.
ROSS And now Macduff has disappeared.
LENNOX Not disappeared. Fled to England.
ROSS Why?
LENNOX He’s gone to join Malcolm. They are going to raise an army to come up here and save us from Macbeth.
ROSS Does Macbeth know?
LENNOX Yes – and is planning his revenge on Macduff.
ROSS God help Macduff.
LENNOX God help all of us.
ROSS Come on. Let us leave this place - while we can.
LADY MACBETH Out damned spot! Out I say! Hell is murky!
DOCTOR We’re hearing things we shouldn’t.
LADY MACBETH Will these hands never be clean?
SERVANT Heaven knows what she really knows.
LADY MACBETH The smell of blood is still there.
DOCTOR This isn’t an illness I can cure.
LADY MACBETH I tell you Banquo’s dead and buried…
DOCTOR So that’s it? Banquo?
LADY MACBETH ...he can’t come out of the grave!
SERVANT And you say you can’t cure her?
DOCTOR She needs a priest not a doctor.
SERVANT God forgive us all.
DOCTOR We must go. And you had better forget what we just heard - or we’re all dead.
SCENE 17: THE HEATH NEAR DUNSINANE
FX Soldiers marching, distant trumpet sounds. Drums.
NARRATOR In England Malcolm and Macduff raise a great army. It marches north to Dunsinane and prepares to do battle with the Macbeth, whose crimes now include the murder of Macduff’s wife and children. Angus and Lennox meet on the heath. They too have raised an army and are ready to fight Macbeth…
FX Horses approach, are reined in.
LENNOX What news Angus?
ANGUS The English army is near, Lennox, led by Malcolm and Macduff. They have come for revenge!
LENNOX And we shall join them. Poor Macduff - he knows his family are all dead?
ANGUS I know it. Macbeth is mad. His murders stick to his hands.
LENNOX Onward to Birnam Wood! We’ll meet our new allies there!
FX Their horses gallop away.
SCENE 18: A ROOM IN DUNSINANE CASTLE
NARRATOR At Dunsinane Castle Macbeth gets ready to lead his army into battle. The room is busy as soldiers and servants rush around.
MACBETH You! Out of my sight! I want no more reports from the battlefield!
SERVANT Your majesty!
MACBETH Birnam Wood cannot come to Dunsinane. It’s impossible – do you all under-stand? And Malcolm was born of woman. So nothing can touch me!
NARRATOR A soldier arrives with news…
BODYGUARD My lord...
MACBETH Yes! What is it?
BODYGUARD The English army comes near, my lord! Ten thousand soldiers! MACBETH All right then! Put on my armour! And you there - yes you, skulking - what do
you want with me?
DOCTOR My lord, your wife...
MACBETH Who are you?
DOCTOR The doctor, my lord. Your wife, sir, is sick...
MACBETH What’s the matter with her?
DOCTOR She is…troubled...
MACBETH She’ll be fine. Come on! Give me my lance! And let us go!
DOCTOR My lord...
MACBETH I’m not scared of death - till Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane. To the battle!
MACBETH Never. Lay on Macduff! And damned be him that first cries ‘Hold, enough!’
FX Fadeoutasthefightcontinues.
SCENE 23: THE GREAT HALL AT DUNSINANE
NARRATOR As the battle draws to a close, prince Malcolm waits for news in the hall of Dunsinane Castle…
ROSS Where is my lord Malcolm?
MALCOLM Ross - I am here. Is it over?
ROSS The day is yours, my lord. Every part of the castle is taken.
ALL Hurrah!
MALCOLM You have fought bravely, Ross. But what of the tyrant? Does Macbeth live still?
ROSS Look my lord! Here comes Macduff!
MACDUFF Hail King Malcolm! I bring you news of Macbeth. He is here - what’s left of him! His head - on a pole! See!
ROSS We are free again!
MACDUFF My loyal thanes! Join with me! Hail Malcolm - rightful King of Scotland!
ALL Hail Malcolm, King of Scotland! God save the king! God save the king!
NARRATOR So everything the witches said came true. And whatever the reason – whether it was the witches who caused these things to happen or whether Macbeth was master of his own fate – Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are both dead now. And Scotland – for now - is free again.