h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I recently saw a production of Macbeth which didn't work 100%. But its treatment of the three witches was something I can't shake out of my mind.

They didn't have any extra lines, but they were there all the time, shaping the action, pushing and pulling characters to do what they're tempted to do, kill who they might have considered killing. At one point the Macbeths kiss, except that they are propelled towards each other by two witches while the third interposes herself, taking and passing on the kiss.

To cap it all, they were three identical Disney Snow Whites.

Anybody else got any images they can't put down?

Well I´ll tell you this, don´t flip through a catalogue if you got tree-sap on your fingers

I can see the point they're making - that Macbeth (and all the other characters) can essentially do nothing to thwart fate, whether for good or bad. All of the terms of the first prophecy of the witches come true to Macbeth's apparent advantage, whilst the bit about only one 'not of woman born' slaying him ends him, in spite of Macbeth's belief in his invincibility. By having the witches present throughout I suppose they represent fate, pulling the plot to its own ends. By doing that though, I suppose you risk losing the aspect of chance and probability - could Macbeth have become king without killing Duncan? Did Banquo have to die like that? - whereby events can come to a decided end, but by several possible means. A question - were the witches there when Lady Macbeth reads Macbeth's letter?

Snow Whites - 'beauty' of evil? I'm grasping at straws now.

I saw a very interesting production of 'Macbeth' at the Edinburgh Fringe a few years ago. They did the play outdoors, each scene taking place in a different part of the city, with the audience following the cast around each place. It was quite effective, actually - with a real Scottish Macbeth! - even if I was knackered afterwards.

The witches weren't there quite all the time, and I can't remember about the letter. But the implication was definitely that there is no free will. Even more - the characters were playthings. One death only took place because the witches pushed body and reluctant sword together.

It's not the only way to read Macbeth, but it was very powerful. I only wish the rest of the production had been so successful. The cast was small, the set and costumes minimal, and it was hard to follow who was who sometimes.