Favorite Idea

From Macbeth:

The plot is determined by the Acronym of Macbeth

Masculinity
Ambiton
Cruelty or Corruption
Blood
Elements (as in supernatural)
Tyranny
Hallucinations

The plot is about a modern couple fairly resembling the characters and story of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth; but if not then at least their relationship and the problems within it.Each Letter of the Acronym marks a different scene that reveals more about their lives and their crumbling relationship and marriage. E.g. Masculinity could reveal a scene where the wife is clearly more powerful over the husband and it shows his lack of masculinity within their relationsship. Or e.g. Corruption could mean cheating on either side of the relationship to show the demoralization and fraud of the marriage.
Between each scene a person will walk on with a sign saying what the scene is about marking what the audience must look for in order to make sense of the story. Flashbacks and flash forwards could be included in the story.

Idea on Shakespeare retold

In rank order:

1) Macbeth - I feel this play contains the most themes in order to create a new spontaneous idea out of for our our devised play. Plus I really like the complexity of the some of the characters and the male and female relationships throughout the play, especially Macbeth's and Lady Macbeths.

2) The Tempest - One of my ideas for The tempest for a devised piece is very different than all the rest and is combined with a current musical so it is very creative and could involve comedy. Furthermore, Miranda has always been one of my favourite characters as well as the unforgiving hopelessness of the fools an Caliban.

3) A Midsummer Nights Dream - This has always been one of if not my favorite Shakespeare play but because I have studied it, performed it and read it so much I feel like I should try something new. However, I have a very weird, yet creative 'Shakespeare retold' idea that could if executed right could work very well, however it may be slightly limiting and therefore that is why it is low ranking.

4) King Lear
Apart from the fierceness of Reagan and Goneril, King Lear doesn't really appeal to me in terms of plot. I feel there is less action and no tremendous climax in terms of the play as a whole, however King Lear's speech could be determined as this. I am not very interested in using King Lear as a stimulus and therefore haven't developed any idea's from this play and is why it is ranked last.

Themes/Motifs in Macbeth

• Destruction
• Violence
• Murder
• Deceit
• Spite/Hatred
• Power (lust of)
• Witchcraft and disillusions/Hallucinations 
•  Blood

Synopsis of MacBeth

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/summary.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramamacbeth/1drama_macbeth_plotrev1.shtml

The play opens as three witches plan a meeting with the Scottish Noble man Macbeth, who at that moment is fighting in a great battle. When the battle is over, Macbeth and his friend Banquo come across the witches who offer them three predictions: that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, and that Banquo's descendants will become kings.

Banquo laughs at the prophecies but Macbeth is excited, especially as soon after their meeting with the witches Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor by King Duncan, in return for his bravery in the battle. He writes to his wife, Lady Macbeth, who is as excited as he is. A messenger tells Lady Macbeth that King Duncan is on his way to their castle and she invokes evil spirits to help her slay him. Macbeth is talked into killing Duncan by his wife and stabs him to death. No-one is quite sure who committed this murder and no-one feels safe, but Macbeth is crowned king.

Now that Macbeth is king he knows the second prediction from the witches has come true, but he starts to fear the third prediction (that Banquo's descendants will also be kings). Macbeth therefore decides to kill Banquo and his son, but the plan goes wrong - Banquo is killed but his son escapes. Macbeth then thinks he is going mad because he sees Banquo's ghost and receives more predictions from the witches. He starts to become ruthless and kills the family of Macduff, an important lord. Macbeth still thinks he is safe but one by one the witches' prophecies come true, Lady Macbeth cannot stop thinking about Duncan, becomes deranged and dies. A large army marches on Macbeth's castle and Macbeth is killed by Macduff.

Own Synopsis

• Macbeth, a Scottish noblemen, after winning a great battle come across three witches with his friend Banquo.
• The three witches offer them three predictions in chronological order: Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor, King of Scotland, and Banquo's sons will become kings and that 'none of woman born shall harm Macbeth" and then finally "Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinaine Hill shall come against him." 
• Shortly after Macbeth is made King of Cawdor in return for his Bravery in the battle and become rather excited. He writes to his Wife, Lady Macbeth.
• Lady Macbeth believes to make the prophecy come true, they mist kill Duncan, the King and convinces Macbeth to do so.
• Macbeth is crowned King.
• Macbeth starts to fear the 3rd prediction as evidence shows the first two came true. The Witches also prophesied that ' He tries to kill Banquo and his son but his son escapes. 
• Macbeth begins to think he is going mad and kills Madcuff's family (a lord).
• Lady Macbeth is driven mad by what she has done and dies by 'self and violent hands'. It is not specified.
• An army marches to the Castle where Macbeth lives and he is killed by Madcuff because he was in fact born by Cesarean and therefore not 'woman born'.

Previous Productions of King Lear

1) King Lear (2008) - directed for the stage by Trevor Nunn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPdYIFyY43g

It show the foolishness and madness of Old King Lear, the cruelty and cunningness of his two unjust daughters and factors in the betrayal and panic-stricken rush for greed, possession and love. Starring Sir Ian Mckellen, Ben Addis and Frances Barber. Although bringing to life Shakespeare's story of King Lear by through a dramatic and engaging performance, the only criticism I would have would be the lighting (although this could be due to the quality of the video not the performance) and the stage scenery. It give a bare, dull atmosphere that is both mundane and lifeless to witness and experience. The acting is considerable and vast but unfortunately I feel that the lightning and lack of stage scenery make it less inviting and less enjoyable.

I am also not the only one who believes Ian McKellen as King Lear is superb:
http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2007/jun/01/theatre1


2)

Themes in King Lear

• Justice -Cordelia and her husband reach for justice when bringing their army and looking after the king
• Hatred - For King Lear by his two selfish daughters, for regan and Goneril by Cordelia etc. The hatred really motivates this play as well.
• Power - of land, relationships, of kingsmen, lack of power for King Lear, of love ....
• Control - of army, of peopel (manipulating)
• Scheming - against kingLear, the sisters with each other, it drives this play into paranoi and obsession over materialistic things.
• Betrayal - between family and loved ones. It also motivates revenge and justice.
• Reconciliation - This play could be argued that some of it ends in resolution due to forgiveness and reconciliation, but the tragedy of everyone dying could eradicate this.
• Love - lack of it for King Lear, for Goneril by her Husband, however Cordelia's love reigns for her father

Summary of Synopsis

• King Lear becomes old and tired and therefore decides to retire and split his kingdom between his three daughters. But first he wants to find out who loves him most. Goneril and Reagan being wicked and cunning professed their love for their father with fakery and extravagent gestures while his youngest daughter, Cordelia knows that she need say nothing to her father for love so string cannot be put into measurable words. however, King Lear thinking she is disgraceful and not worthy, gives her nothing and splits his kingdom between Goneril and Reagan, keeping 100 kinsmen for himself.
• The Earl of Kent, being one of the King's trustworthy and favorite courtiers vouches for Cordelia but is banished for his betrayal yet he actually returns in disguise of a servingman.
• Cordelia marries the King of France and inherits the lands and prfits of her husband, including an army.
• King Lear goes to live with Goneril, yet with her hatred of her father she commands her servants to ignore him and refuse his orders. She restricts him of his kingsmen to only a few and sends him off to her sister's.
• Her sister, boasting of more hatred for their father, treats him worse and takes away more and more of his kingsmen. Their father seeing that they mean to drive him away wanders out into the wilderness on a stormy night in despair and misery only to be accompanied by his fool and then met by The Earl of kent, who then upon finding out what has happened goes to tell Cordelia in the court of France.
• Cordelia brings an army to Dover and looks after her father while Goneril and Reagan bring their army to fight back and were victorious. They have King Lear and Cordelia thrown in jail with Cordelia to be hanged. Meanwhile Goneril's husband, Duke of Albany, finally realizes how wicked his wife is and so upon hearing this Goneril kills herself not before giving a deadly poison to her sister out of jealousy and both sisters die.
• The Duke of Albany wishes to warn and stop Cordelia's hanging in light of the death of his wife and sister but is too late and she suffers the same fate as her sisters. King Lear, being alone and weak, dies.