MacBeth: The Play That Dare Not Speak Its Name
An Intelligent Satire on MacBeth
14 speaking roles that can be played by 5M / 5W
Approximate Playing Time: 2 hours
MACBETH: The Play That Dare Not Speak Its Name is based on research about the historical figure of Macbeth. While it is true that Macbeth killed Duncan, he killed him in battle, not in the cold-blooded fashion that Shakespeare depicts. The play is a satiric, feminist, anti-war rendering of Shakespeare’s play: the women, who get much of the blame in the original, are given personalities and back stories while the play draws parallels with current global conflicts. Based on research in England, Ireland, Scotland and the U.S., this version draws on scholarship by historians Peter Berresford Ellis, Nick Aitchison and John Marsden, who suggest that Macbeth was a much better king than Shakespeare’s King Duncan (offering Macbeth’s reign of 17 years in contrast to Duncan’s reign of less than a year as one example). They also point out that Macbeth was not labeled an “evil usurper” until 300 years after his death. In this version, Donalbain, Duncan’s son, acts as a narrator who offers some historical perspective. To emphasize resonance with current events, characters blend contemporary and Shakespearean language. The play contains murders and swordfights, comedy and tragedy, and mixes Shakespearean language with modern slang.
$20 Single Use Copyright Fee plus $60 Royalty per Performance for Amateur Theatre. Professional Theatre Royalties Calculated on Application.
$60.00 Royalty per Performance
$20.00 Single-Use Copyright Fees