Fifteen or so years ago, my Niece spent a couple years being Home Schooled and I put together a bunch of history and literature. She chose MacBeth for that year's Shakespearean play (the State of PA requires at least one). I spent a few days with MacBeth and the Witches.

All I could find was an insipid radio production of MACBETH with shrieking witches and stupid sound effects to change the scenes.

This new PBS Version is not like anything you've seen.

It is set in a more modern war reminiscent of WW1 and WW2 and the opening scene is a soldier on a gurney giving report of MacBeth and Banquo's success and then dying to the steady tone of a heart monitor. The Witches are rather evil nurses and the imagery bloody and realistic to war wounds. The modern settings enhance it's bloody qualities.

Patrick Stewart is brilliant as MacBeth, a bit old because MacBeth is supposed to be young and eager for advancement. Stewart is older and more of a "time passed me by" ambitious and wiling to do all to gain power.

Kate Fleetwood as Lady MacBeth is dark-haired and evil, wickedly so. She's about half MacBeth's age and that makes Stewart's MacBeth a dirty old man with a young wife. There is ambition in having a trophy wife and telling her to have only male children.

So if you are desiring to spend a few bloody hours with murderers, this is it.

Shakespeare.

It was many years ago my oldest son was in 10th grade, he always loved English and they were reading Shakespeare. I asked him what he would like for Christmas, he said the complete works of Shakespeare. He got them.

Today he is in his late 30's still writes, plays, a novel, and poetry. Matthew has never found a word he did not like or was unable to use.

Now if he could just get something published and send me my copy.

River

I'm watching the second half tonight because someone interrupted it last time. YOu usually see MacBeth and all of Shakespeare declaimed upon the stage but this setting and this adaptation has emotion pouring off the screen,

The scene where the three weird sisters conjure up the line of kings is both startlingly and amazing.

MacBeth's descent into bloody villain is swift and convincing.

Banguo's ghost at the banquet is a tour de force.

And when Lady Macbeth goes crazy (out damned spot) the actress puts on a performance that stuns.

A funny scene is Patrick Stewart wearing a bandoleer over his sleeveless T-shirt and great coat. of course, right after the queen off's herself and the great soliloquy - Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.

As we all know, the end is near and MacBeth the Tyrant will die. It's all upon Patrick Stewart and he just unleashes it all.

Perhaps someone will rip it and post it somewhere.

Patrick Stewart, I believe, could make anything work that he stars in.

And yes, I am on the Picard side of the Kirk vs. Picard debate in Star Trek!

Well Star Trek was a sleepwalk for Stewart if you want my honest opinion. There were a few times the writers truly wrote for his caliber of actor and he shined.

In this cold light of morning (truthfully, it's cold here and it's 9am, so that much is true about the metaphor)

I find that if you want to interpret MacBeth as the tragic fall of MacBeth from an faithful Leader into a murderous tyrant, this isn't the interpretation you should see. There are small and quick scenes at the opening of the play where MacBeth is true and loyal and nearly a boy scout in his beliefs. Then the seed is planted with the words "Hail Thane of Cawdor" and the subsequent prophecies: Glamis thou art, Cawdor thou shalt be and King thereafter. Patrick Stewart is so strong a character that it is hard to believe he has doubts in this scene. A second scene occurs when he wavers at killing the king. As I Read Shakespeare, MacBeth is racked into near catatonia with nerves and the immensity of what he is about to do. This is LAdy MacBeth's famous line "Screw up they courage to the sticking place" and urges him on. Then again when he returns with the knives - a mistake, she is the one who goes to the two attendants and bloody their hands and faces. MacBeth is still wavering. But then he takes her example and when the King is found slain, he goes immediately to the attendants, kills them, and carries the knives back. He freely admits the second killing and even excuses it as who would not be so moved as not to take revenge on the killers. That's when Lady MacBeth realizes that she's unleashed the monster. MacBeth knows no restraint and now kills without guilt. His fall is very fast and this version with Stewart doesn't play it that way...

This interpretation is wrong, just different than others I've seen.

Is there a wrong interpretation of any Shakespearean play?

Well yes, Richard the third as a hunchback mincing and prancing queer in drag trying to please his Mommy is a bad interpretation. But that's another story altogether.

Dave it warms my heart to see you talk about Shakespeare, really, I have seen my son do the same thing, however I never got into him, it always left me cold. I admire people who can read through that dry English that is not used anymore. As for Stewart, I have watched him in several rolls over the years, he is a first class actor and loves what he does. One year at Renaissance fair in northern California one of the guilds put on a play and only a hand full of people realized that Patrick Stewart was the main actor. He took his bows then did a meet and greet. Why did he do this? because that is what he does.

River

Stewart comes from that British stage tradition where the basis of all they teach and perform is classics of the stage.