Macbeth (an undoing) by Zinnie Harris
Author:Zinnie Harris
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Published: 2023-06-15T00:00:00+00:00
Four
Lady Macbeth with the murderers. In an alley.
Lady Macbeth
Aye in the catalogue you go for men.
As hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs, water-rugs and demi-wolves are clept all by the name of dogs. And all of you thieves, you told my lord that you had killed him and yet he lives, answer me â you ran the way he sent you, but somehow something went wrong and you didnât do what you should, perhaps you were too slow and â donât tell me he bides safe in a ditch with twenty gashes upon his head, I heard from my lord your words and how merrily you will repeat the same said phrase, but to this I answer you â how comes it he walks around in my house? Do murdered men walk? You did not kill him is the only explanation. I will sign a million things today, and your death warrants will be the first unless you tell me that you botched it up but will do it now â you will tell me the place where Banquo hides â
Beat.
What nothing? Not a word from one of you â then to my dungeon you will go. And your wives I will catch and your babies I will boil. You will sing those words until you tell me it is other.
Banquo lives, I know he does.
And you know it too â
She notices that there is some blood on her hand. And another spot on her dress.
She goes to the servant.
Who put this there?
She looks down at her dress, tries to wipe it. It gets worse.
She takes the dress off.
Servant
I donât know madam
Lady Macbeth
Itâs dirty â Iâll have another â is there another I can have, call the assistant â
Servant
The assistant is busy.
Lady Macbeth
Call the assistantsâ assistant. I wonât have a dirty dress.
Stage manager, technician, anyone backstage â
A new dress is brought for her.
Thank you.
As she is stepping into it, Ross and Lennox catch her.
Ross
The thanes are meeting south near Edinburgh today madam.
Lady Macbeth
They canât, the king is here â
Ross
They say theyâll meet without him.
Lady Macbeth
Thatâs not possible.
It is the kingâs council so â
Perhaps a few of the thanes want to meet, and who can stop them but a full council meeting cannot be in place without the head,
And the head is here
Ross
I am just passing on what I heard.
Lady Macbeth
From whom?
Lennox
We have friends who are there â
Lady Macbeth
What friends?
Lennox
Menteith.
Lady Macbeth
Not a friend.
Ross
Kinross.
Lady Macbeth
Likewise.
Lennox
Montrose, Kincardine,
Lady Macbeth
No â
Ross
Birse.
Lennox
Cowie, Macduff
Lady Macbeth
Macduff is there?
Lennox
They are all there â
Lady Macbeth
Well, if Macduff is there, we have nothing to fear. He is practically my brother. Weâll get the king dressed and get him there, they cannot meet without him. I will speak to my sister, she has influence of course still â she is carrying his baby. So the thanes are meeting? No matter, they can meet if they like. Itâs not such a problem yet â is it a problem if they meet? The king will meet them here, Iâll make sure the summons to each one goes through.
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