Macbeth/Trivia


 * Executive Meddling: About a hundred years after Shakespeare died, an English theatre impresario (probably Colley Cibber) added an extra "witches" scene to Act III which was later assumed to have been part of the original play (after the witches' "double, double, toil and trouble" speech, Hecate and three other witches show up randomly, sing a song called "Black Spirits", and vanish). This is never mentioned again. Most versions of the play produced before about 1970 include this scene; most since leave it out.
 * Hey, It's That Guy!: The RSC production filmed for television in 1979 is known universally as the nerd-tastic production. Why? Because...
 * Gandalf/Magneto is Macbeth.
 * M is Lady Macbeth.
 * Robert Muldoon is Macduff.
 * The Sheriff of Rottingham is Malcolm.
 * Emperor Palpatine is Ross (and the porter).
 * Dr. Hirsch is Banquo.
 * No Budget: The play can be thrown together on the cheap. That's part of the reason it's so dangerous. The easiest way to conjure up that spooky Highland atmosphere is with darkness, and lots of it. Now just throw in lots of daggers and swords, and long, heavy cloaks that everyone can trip on and, yes, you can see the problem.
 * Trope Namer:
 * Eye of Newt
 * Lady Macbeth
 * No Man of Woman Born
 * Out, Damned Spot!
 * The Scottish Trope