ZOE
There was a play about him I recall
Did not he become King of Scotland too?
MACBETH
[amazed] You say I shall be King hereafter?
BANQUO
Good Sir, why do you start, and seem to fear
Things that do sound so fair?
[to the DOCTOR]
If you can look into the seeds of time,
And say which grain will grow, and which will not,
Speak then to me, Banquo, who neither fears,
Your favours nor your hate.
JAMIE
You’re Banquo! I’ve heard of you too!
DOCTOR
Please, Jamie, keep quiet, I beg of you!
JAMIE
[to BANQUO] You will beget kings, though you won’t be one.
MACBETH
Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more.
By Sinel’s death I know I am Thane of Glamis;
But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives,
A prosperous gentleman; and to be King
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? Or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? – Speak, I charge you.
JAMIE
We know because we’re –
DOCTOR clamps his hand over JAMIE’s mouth.
They struggle. Trumpet, wheezing, groaning.
ZOE
Oh Doctor, we are disappearing fast!
DOCTOR
Hold tight! For we are being taken back!
The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE vanish.
BANQUO
Whither are they vanish’d?
MACBETH
Into the air; and what seem’d corporal,
Melted as breath into the wind. Would they had stay’d!
Your children shall be kings.
BANQUO
You shall be King.
MACBETH
And Thane of Cawdor too . . .
ACT II, SCENE III – OUTSIDE THE CASTLE
Heavy rain. Trumpet, wheezing, groaning. TARDIS appears. DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE emerge having cleaned up, wearing heavy, hooded coats.
JAMIE
At least we’ve landed properly this time.
ZOE
We’ve mov’d?
DOCTOR
Yes, Zoe. That’s Macbeth’s castle!
JAMIE
Ah, yon fellow we met.
DOCTOR
Indeed, the one you told his destiny.
I wish you had not spoke of that, alas!
JAMIE
Och, why? What harm could it do?
DOCTOR
What harm? Now he will want to slay the King
And take his sov’reign throne!
ZOE
Like in the play!
JAMIE
What play?
DOCTOR
The play, Macbeth.
The DOCTOR takes a book from his pocket.
DOCTOR
Now let me look. Ah, yes, now here it is.
Macbeth is made the Thane of Cawdor first,
Which makes him heed the prophecy and thence,
With nudging from his wife, he kills the King.
Oh dear.
JAMIE
Oh dear?
DOCTOR
It’s all our fault! [DOCTOR slaps JAMIE with the book]
Your fault!
We must this mend before it is too late!
DOCTOR puts book away and knocks on castle gates.
DOCTOR
Hello! Pray let us in! Hello! Hello!
ZOE
But Doctor, if Shakespeare didst write this tale,
It must therefore be true, and come to pass?
DOCTOR
My dear, you should not heed what’s writ by Will
He chang’d things round to serve his own intents,
The play’s the thing, it’s what all poets do,
They take poetic license with the truth.
JAMIE
But I know Macbeth became King, it’s in the history books.
DOCTOR
But not by murder necessarily!
DOCTOR knocks on castle gates.
DOCTOR
Come on! Pray open up! We’re soaking wet!
JAMIE
Aye, it’s raining cats and dogs out here.
ZOE
And raging wind that bites and roars so loud!
JAMIE
Aye, sounds like the devil himself. And the ground’s shaking –
ZOE
Look to’t! One of the chimneys is disturb’d!
It crashes down beside them. DOCTOR knocks on castle gates.
DOCTOR
Come on! You’re in grave danger! Open up!
Castle gates open. PORTER appears.
PORTER
Knock knock, who’s there, i’th’name of Belzebub?
DOCTOR
The Doctor!
PORTER
Doctor? Who’s that? Doctor who?
DOCTOR
That matters not, what matters is that if
Thou dost not let us in there will be deeds
Most foul perform’d to-night within these walls!
PORTER lets them into the castle.
PORTER
Anon, anon!
I pray you, remember the Porter!
The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE enter a court within the castle.
DOCTOR
Now, we must find the King and warn him what
Macbeth has plann’d! There is no time to lose!
PORTER
This place is too cold for Hell. I’ll devil-porter it no Further.
The PORTER goes to leave but is stopped as MACDUFF and LENOX enter. The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE duck out of sight.
MACDUFF
[to the PORTER] Is thy master stirring?
Enter MACBETH.
The knocking has awak’d him; here he comes.
LENOX
Good morrow, noble Sir!
MACBETH
Good morrow, both!
In the background, the DOCTOR checks the book.
MACDUFF
Is the King stirring, worthy Thane?
MACBETH
Not yet.
The Doctor reads something that alarms him.
MACDUFF
He did command me to call timely on him:
I have almost slipp’d the hour.
MACDUFF exits, going into the King’s chambers.
ZOE
[whispers] Doctor, what’s the matter?
DOCTOR
[whispers] According to the play, we are too late
Already vile Macbeth has slain the King!
Re-enter MACDUFF.
MACDUFF
O horror! Horror! Horror!
Tongue nor heart cannot conceive, nor name thee!
MACBETH, LENOX
What’s the matter?
MACDUFF
Most sacrilegious Murther hath been wrought
See, and then speak yourselves. –
MACBETH and LENOX go to the King’s chamber.
Awake! Awake! –
Ring the alarum-bell. – Murther, and treason!
Banquo, and Donalbain! Malcolm, awake!
Shake off this downy sleep, death’s counterfeit,
As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites,
To countenance this horror! [Bell rings]
Enter LADY MACBETH.
LADY MACBETH
What the business,
That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley
The sleepers of the house? Speak, speak!
ZOE
[whispers] Doctor! She must be Lady Macbeth! Look!
JAMIE
The one who put her husband up to it? Look at her, acting like she doesn’t know what’s going on!
DOCTOR
Quick, Jamie, Zoe, we should slip away!
JAMIE
But Doctor –
ZOE
The Doctor’s right, we don’t want to be caught
They’ll think we were the ones who did the deed!
The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE slip away as MACBETH and LENOX return from the King’s chamber.
MACBETH
Had I but died an hour before this chance,
I had liv’d a blessed time; for, from this instant,
There’s nothing serious in mortality;
All is but toys: renown, and grave, is dead!
Enter MALCOLM and DONALBAIN.
DONALBAIN
What is amiss?
MACDUFF
Your royal father’s murther’d!
ACT II, SCENE V – A PASSAGE IN THE CASTLE
The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE hide.
DOCTOR
All right, I think we’re safe.
ZOE
Until they find
Us and accuse us of murther – murder!
DOCTOR
Be not afear’d. [the Doctor checks his book] According to the play
Two guards are blam’d and art by Macbeth slain.
JAMIE
I thought you said the play wasn’t right?
ZOE
But nobody is going to believe
That it was not by Macbeth’s hand achiev’d.
JAMIE
Aye, he had guilt written all over his face.
DOCTOR
You may be right. But now he’ll reign as King
Of Scotland, as you told him would ensue.
JAMIE
You can’t blame me for that!
DOCTOR
What matters is t’avert more lives be lost.
You told Banquo that would he Kings beget
Which means he is a threat unto Macbeth.
ZOE
Macbeth will have to put him out the way?
DOCTOR
Unless we can prevent the misdeed, yes.
JAMIE
But why do we have to interfere? Can’t we just let history get on with it?
DOCTOR
Because we set this train upon its track
It’s down to us to see no ill proceeds.
ZOE
What must we do I keenly bid you tell.
Enter a SERVANT.
SERVANT
Are you the travellers lately arriv’d?
JAMIE
Might be, why do you want to know?
SERVANT
The King desires your presence.
ZOE
The King? You mean?
SERVANT
King Macbeth. He requires your services, that is why you were summon’d. If you will come with me –
DOCTOR
Ah, Zoe, wait here ’til we are return’d.
ZOE
But –
JAMIE
The Doctor’s right, you’re safer staying put.
ZOE
Oh, very well.
DOCTOR
We won’t be long, I pledge
I wonder what the King should want us for . . .
The SERVANT leads the DOCTOR and JAMIE into the castle.
ACT III, SCENE I – THE CASTLE THRONE ROOM
MACBETH sits on the throne. The SERVANT enters with the DOCTOR and JAMIE and leaves. MACBETH regards the DOCTOR and JAMIE suspiciously. They both have their faces concealed by their hoods.
MACBETH
[suspicious] Sirs, have I met with you afore this day?
DOCTOR
We have not had the honour, Majesty.
MACBETH
Now, if you have a station in the file,
Not i’th’worst rank of manhood, say’t;
And I will put that business in your bosoms,
Whose execution takes your enemy off,
Grapples you to the heart and love of us,
Who wear our health but sickly in his life,
Which in his death were perfect?
JAMIE
[whisper] Doctor, what’s he going on about?
DOCTOR
[whisper] He’s asking if we are unscrupulous
Villains prepar’d to kill to please their king.
JAMIE
What?
DOCTOR
He thinks we are two murderers for hire.
Attend and hush! [clears throat, to MACBETH in a gruff accent of Glasgow] I am one such, my Liege;
The many slings and arrows of the world
Hath so incens’d, that I am reckless what
I do, to spite the world.
JAMIE
[gruff Glaswegian] Aye, and what he just said goes for me too.
MACBETH
You care not for your own lives? Then you should
Know Banquo is mine foe. And thence it is
That I to your assistance do request,
Masking the business from the common-eye,
For sundry weighty reasons.
DOCTOR
We shall, my Lord,
Perform what you command us.
JAMIE
So do you want us to do Banquo in, then?
MACBETH
[nods and smiles] Your spirits shine through you. Within this hour, at most,
I will advise you where to plant yourselves,
Acquaint you with the perfect spy o’th’time,
The moment on’t; for’t must be done to-night.
JAMIE
Tonight!
MACBETH
It is concluded: Banquo, thy soul’s flight,
If it find Heaven, must find it out to-night!
Exit MACBETH.
JAMIE
Doctor, what’s going on? We’ve just agreed to kill Banquo!
DOCTOR
I know. Rather the King ask us than two
Real murderers, that would you not agree?
JAMIE
What?
DOCTOR
By hiring us to cut short Banquo’s life,
He’s granted us a means of thwarting strife!
Exeunt the DOCTOR and JAMIE.
ACT III, SCENE III – THE ROAD LEADING FROM THE CASTLE
Enter the DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE.
ZOE
Macbeth ask’d you to Banquo slay? To this
DOCTOR
Yes, to secure his ’scape.
JAMIE
It’s getting dark.
ZOE
The west yet glimmers with the some streaks of day.
Hark! I hear men walk this way. A light!
DOCTOR
’Tis he!
Enter BANQUO and his son FLEANCE, carrying torches.
BANQUO
It will be rain to-night.
DOCTOR
The time to act is nigh. Stand to, with me!
The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE approach them.
BANQUO
Who is this dar’st waylay us ’pon the road?
DOCTOR
Macbeth dispatch’d us here to murder you.
BANQUO
[draws sword] What?
ZOE
Prithee, be not alarm’d! We are unarm’d!
BANQUO
You have no swords?
DOCTOR
We wield no thought of harm.
We’ve come to deliver you from death’s reach.
BANQUO
You are still true to me, then? Not Macbeth?
DOCTOR
No loyalty to him we owe; he is
A regicidal maniac. We will
Attest we kill’d you. Fleance must away
To Wales, a fine girl meet, and Kings beget.
FLEANCE
I flee to Wales? But what of my father?
DOCTOR
He’ll follow you anon. I need his help.
BANQUO
With what?
DOCTOR
The King shall not be satisfied
Thou
art slain without proof. Thus I intend
That proof to give. With this subtle device.
The DOCTOR hands BANQUO a necklace.
BANQUO
An amulet?
DOCTOR
Something I pick’d up on
My travels. It’s a perception filter.
It can make you invisible or make
It that but one soul wilt of you perceive
You will be like a ghost at Macbeth’s feast . . .
ACT III, SCENE IV – THE CASTLE BANQUETING HALL
MACBETH, LADY MACBETH, ROSSE, LENOX, Lords and Attendants are enjoying a banquet. The DOCTOR enters. MACBETH goes to him.
MACBETH
[whisper] Is Banquo dispatched?
DOCTOR
[gruff Glaswegian] My Lord, his throat is cut, that I did for him. [mimes, making ‘quack’ sound]
MACBETH
Thou art the best o’th’cut-throats; And tell me
Thou didst the like for Fleance?
DOCTOR
Aye, I did.
Safe with his father in a ditch he bides.
MACBETH
Now get thee gone.
LENOX
[calls to MACBETH] May it please your Highness sit?
MACBETH
Here had we now our country’s honour roof’d,
Were the grace’d person of our Banquo present.
DOCTOR
[whisper] Now, Banquo!
BANQUO appears, his face white with chalk, wearing the perception filter necklace. He sits in MACBETH’s seat. MACBETH reacts with horror at the sight.
MACBETH
The table’s full!
LENOX
[indicates where BANQUO is sitting, but not seeing BANQUO] Here is a place reserv’d, Sir.
MACBETH
Where?
LENOX
Here, my good Lord. What is’t that moves your Highness?
And makest thou tremble and wide of eye?
MACBETH
[points to BANQUO] Prithee, see there!
Behold! Look! Lo! How say you?
If charnel-houses and our graves must send
Those that we bury back to haunt us?
DOCTOR
[whisper] Banquo, now!
BANQUO adjusts the necklace and vanishes.
No one has seen him apart from MACBETH.
LADY MACBETH
What is’t that hast unmann’d thee?
MACBETH
If I stand here, I saw him. Banquo!
LADY MACBETH
Fie! For shame!
My worthy Lord, your noble friends do lack you.
MACBETH
[regaining his composure] I do forget, –
Do not muse at me, my most worthy friends,
I have a . . . strange infirmity, which is nothing
To those that know me. Come, love and health to all;
Then I’ll sit down. [he gingerly sits in the empty seat] Give me some wine: fill full;