Use Of Lighting And Costumes In Macbeth

The staging of this scene will incorporate lighting and costumes to portray Macbeth’s fear, and to demonstrate the realization that he must eliminate everyone he can. I will begin with a simple stage. There will be a long table, tilted diagonally in the middle of the stage, and chairs arranged around the table. Other than that, there will be nothing else. This is to represent how Macbeth feels about Banquo’s death. There is only one thing in his mind, which is to make sure that Banquo and Fleance die. The lighting for the beginning of the scene is very bland: greys, whites, nothing too bright but not dark enough to take away from the scene. Everybody will be acting very polite. This is to provide contrast with the end of the scene. When the
Macbeth cannot see him either, as he walks downstage after Lennox points out his seat, he doesn’t see Banquo until he gets to his seat. The lights will flash up and everyone, including Macbeth, will be able to see the ghost of Banquo sitting there. Banquo will be wearing the same clothes as when he died, but there will be no blood stains. It will look perfectly clean. This is to represent that Macbeth does not feel he killed Banquo, as the murderers did it. When Banquo comes back, his outfit will have blood stains from a stab wound and a deep red light on him following wherever he goes. Because he now has blood stains, Macbeth realizes that, because he hired the murderers, he is also responsible for Banquo’s death. For a split second, the red light following Banquo switches to Macbeth before going back to Banquo. This is to represent the guilt of killing Banquo and the fear of being branded a murderer. During this whole encounter, the reactions of the guests should be very different from the reaction of Macbeth. Macbeth should be afraid of Banquo, but also constantly looking back to the guests, as he is worried they are catching on. The guests, however, should be worried but not