In 2004 at the Cambridge Co. production, Macduff hurt his back, Lady Macbeth bashed her head, Ross broke his toe and two trees (scenery) crashed to the ground and destroyed the set. Three years later in 2004 at the RSC, the producer at an "M" play production, distributed a questionnaire to the cast which included a question asking how superstitious they were. I wonder why?
Roy Marsden playing Macbeth
In the summer, 2004, one of the witches tried to exorcise the curse by trying to raise the spirit of Macbeth at Inverness castle but Lady Macbeth of Cawdor Castle refused to co-operate. The ceremony was nearly cancelled when a cameraman fell ill and several real witches cancelled their part due to other mysterious happenings.
In another production, actor, Charlton Heston suffered from severe burns when his tights caught fire after being accidentally soaked in kerosene. Somewhere else, actress Sybil Thorndyke was nearly strangled by another actor playing Lady Macbeth. In addition at yet another production of this famous play, Paul Scofield, Orson Welles and Stanislavski were also injured or witnessed the 'curse' in action.
However, all of the above palls in contrast to what happened one night in New York in 1849. Here, during two rival performances of the play, riots broke out at the Astor Palace theater. TWENTY people were killed and HUNDREDS more were injured!!!
Moral of the story: Make sure you have paid all of your insurance payments before you go and watch "Macbeth"!
Is there a cure for this curse, I hear you ask? And the answer is, Yes. If anyone is found saying the 'M' word in a dressing room, he has to leave the room, turn around three times and ask for permission to re-enter. Then he may have to quote a line from Hamlet: (Act I,sc.iv.) - "Angels and ministers of grace defend us."
Next time we will have a less cursed time when I write about one or several of my own Shakespeare novels. As usual, please send your comments to me at: dlwhy08@gmail.com
Thank you,
David
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