Macbeth...

[OneStepAtATime]

If you could pick one movie or recorded live play version of Macbeth for a somewhat sensitive 9th grader, which version would you pick?  She will be reading it but obviously seeing it has more impact...there are no live versions in our area or we would go see it performed live.  She is doing this as part of her World Lit assignment and Macbeth is the first drama for this unit.

 

I am also wondering if she might be better off doing Much Ado About Nothing instead.  She doesn't do well with tragedies...

 

Feedback is appreciated (she is dyslexic so we will be reading in tandem since the language may be hard to dig through).

[Chrysalis Academy]

I had a hard time finding a good film version of Macbeth to show to the girls a couple of years ago when Shannon and I first read it together. At this point, now that she's 13, I wouldn't hesitate to let her watch the Patrick Stewart version, but it is definitely creepy - the three witches are 3 macabre nurses.  You could do a search for the nurses scene on youtube and pre-watch it to see if it's too creepy for dd.

 

One possible good alternative is the Shakespeare Retold version. It's a modern remake, set in a restaurant (Macbeth is a chef).  It's actually really great.

[theelfqueen]

The Scottish Play and I are not pals. But I'd choose Patrick Stewart. Lady Macbeth is fantastic in that version!

 

 

We're doing Much Ado in the Fall (I have both the David Tennant/Catherine Tate version and the Joss Whedon one in the wings).

 

(We did Midsummer and Hamlet this year)

Edited May 26, 2016 by theelfqueen

[Lori D.]

I just did Macbeth with gr. 9-12 graders in my co-op class at the end of this semester. Everyone seemed to handle it okay, even though there are a lot of murder and madness. I think the students found it interesting debating the question of how responsible is Macbeth -- is it choice or fate (through the witches' prophecies). We did Macbeth because it fit in the best with the other Medieval lit. the class was doing, both in the time-period of the setting, but also in some of the themes and images we'd been discussing with some of the other works.

 

That said, I think a comedy might be a better introduction to Shakespeare in order to really focus on his amazing use of language, and then step into a tragedy to wrestle with the big/deep themes as well as with the wordplay and language. If you choose to go with a comedy, these are all fun and pretty easy to follow and good "first exposure" plays:

- Much Ado About Nothing

- Midsummer Night's Dream

- Twelfth Night

- Taming of the Shrew

- The Tempest (not a straight-up comedy)

 

re: video of Macbeth

For video performances for a sensitive student I would AVOID these versions of Macbeth:

- Patrick Stewart -- set in WW1; bloody/disturbing images; the witches dressed as nurses

- Roman Polanski -- bloody (first movie Polanski directed after his wife Sharon Tate was brutally murdered by the Charles Manson gang, and he's clearly working out his own horror/demons on screen)

- Michael Fassbender -- gory, violent

 

The most calm, straight-forward production I've been able to find is the 1982 BBC version with Brenda Bruce. Minimal sets and props; done as part of a a BBC series that ended up producing all of Shakespeare's plays. Downside is that it's not the most exciting or interesting version of the play out there, so it might dampen a student's enthusiasm about Shakespeare...

 

The Ian McKellen version (Gandalf actor) is fine, but not good at catching beginning student interest -- it is produced with an extremely minimalistic setting and anachronistic costuming that will likely come off as odd and dull to a student. The old Orson Welles version has some great moments of cinematic lighting (shadows, extreme light/dark contrasts), and some powerful moments of acting, but the audio quality is poor and at times it's clear they were on a shoestring budget.

 

Before we started the play, I showed the 25-min. Animated Shakespeare: Macbeth, which tells the story using all lines from the original play, which is great -- seeing the story with an abbreviated version of the language. The downside is that because the play itself has a strong theme of the supernatural running through it, this animated version emphasizes that in the visuals, so it's kind of wacky and weird -- worked for some of my students, didn't work for others.

 

Here are more reviews about different versions of Macbeth in these past threads:

Favorite film version of Macbeth?

Macbeth film version

Which DVD version of Macbeth?

Macbeth for a sensitive 8 year old?

 

 

If you go with Much Ado, I really enjoy both the Joss Whedon version (set in modern times) and the Kenneth Branaugh version (set in the time of its writing). Both versions are very easy to understand due to some great acting. While I adore David Tennant (he is absolute spellbinding as Hamlet), the David Tennant/Catherine Tate version of Much Ado was a little too crude / low brow / modern for the romantic in me -- JMO. ;)

Edited May 26, 2016 by Lori D.

[OneStepAtATime]

Thanks so much for the in depth review, Lori.  I was seriously considering Much Ado About Nothing.  DD likes comedies, although she prefers more action adventure type things.  She really enjoys a lot of the actors that appear in the Joss Whedon version of Much Ado, so that would be an added bonus.

 

I don't have a copy of the written play, though.  Macbeth is in her World Lit material.  Any suggestions for a good resource for a printed version of Much Ado About Nothing?  Hopefully with some sort of analysis I can refer to?

[SanDiegoMom]

The Kenneth Branagh Much Ado is one of my all-time favorites.  So well acted.  My fourth graders loved it and asked to re-watch it.  We had read the story already using the Garfield version and I put subtitles on, so they were able to keep up.  Also the humor is so well done that even if they didn't always catch the meaning of the phrases, they understood in the context of the acting. 

 

 

[Lori D.]

... Any suggestions for a good resource for a printed version of Much Ado About Nothing?  Hopefully with some sort of analysis I can refer to?

 

online version:

Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare -- free; side-by-side original text and modern translation

Shakespeare's Words -- free; read on line -OR- print from online; original text with definitions/explanations in the margin

 

print version:

Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare -- side-by-side original text and modern translation

Oxford School Shakespeare series -- original text with definitions/explanations in the margin

 

free study guides/analysis resources:

Spark Notes study guide

Penguin teacher guide

[OneStepAtATime]

Awesome! Thanks so much!

[wintermom]

We just studied Macbeth with my 4 dc and another family. We watched the Shakespeare 4 kidz musical theatre version first, then read the entire play. The musical theatre version is not too bloody or violent, in fact my boys found the kissing scenes between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth the most gross. ;)

[Chrysalis Academy]

We totally love Much Ado, and there's a good Shakespeare retold version of that one, too!  

 

Twelfth Night is another favorite.

 

I love Macbeth, but I can't say it was a favorite with the kids.  Out of curiosity, I asked Shannon to rank the ones we've read and/or watched from most to least favorite (she said it was like being asked to rank your children!  :lol: ) and here's what she thought:

 

1) Hamlet

2) Twelfth Night

3) Midsummer Night's Dream

4) Much Ado About Nothing

5) The Tempest

6) As You Like It

7) Macbeth

8) Merchant of Venice

9) Romeo & Juliet

10) Richard III

 

She says she loves them all! But some more than others.

[Targhee]

That's a tough call - McBeth is murder, witches, treachery... We did fine with the Patrick Stewart version, but my kids aren't super sensitive.

 

My DD just finished a playing Hero in Much Ado About Nothing - she had such fun with that play! They kind of skirted around the "Hero at the window" scene - the reporting of the scene later in the play was sufficient.  You could watch the Kenneth Branagh version of the play, mind there are nude bottoms in the opening scene (people in the outdoor bath) and the scene with Borraccio and Margaret at the window (insinuating it's actually Hero), and Dogberry is called an a$$ multiple times, but otherwise it's clean and light, and fun.

Edited May 28, 2016 by Targhee

[Targhee]

We totally love Much Ado, and there's a good Shakespeare retold version of that one, too!  

 

Twelfth Night is another favorite.

 

I love Macbeth, but I can't say it was a favorite with the kids.  Out of curiosity, I asked Shannon to rank the ones we've read and/or watched from most to least favorite (she said it was like being asked to rank your children!  :lol: ) and here's what she thought:

 

1) Hamlet

2) Twelfth Night

3) Midsummer Night's Dream

4) Much Ado About Nothing

5) The Tempest

6) As You Like It

7) Macbeth

8) Merchant of Venice

9) Romeo & Juliet

10) Richard III

 

She says she loves them all! But some more than others.

My DD also really liked Hamlet! Also, As You Like It, The Tempest, Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and Henry V (the only history she liked).

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

My DD also really liked Hamlet! Also, As You Like It, The Tempest, Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and Henry V (the only history she liked).

 

We've only done Richard III from the history plays, I'm waiting till we get to those eras in history to do those plays. The fact that there are film versions with Tom Hiddleston sweetens the pot! She's looking forward to it just for his sake. 

 

I should say that the reason we've done so much Shakespeare so early is that dd is a theater kid and a dedicated actor. Her theater company had planned a prodcution of Macbeth, which didn't end up happening, did productions of Midsummer and a medley piece with scenes from Hamlet, Richard III, Midsummer, The Tempest, Othello and Macbeth. So of course she wanted to read the source plays! For a kid who didn't have a passion for Shakespeare I would hold off on some of those for sure. I just realized I should probably explain that this choice to do so much Shakespeare is a result of following dd's passion, not because I think for a second that a kid "should" do so much Shakespeare at a young age.

Edited May 28, 2016 by Chrysalis Academy

[OneStepAtATime]

We've only done Richard III from the history plays, I'm waiting till we get to those eras in history to do those plays. The fact that there are film versions with Tom Hiddleston sweetens the pot! She's looking forward to it just for his sake. 

 

I should say that the reason we've done so much Shakespeare so early is that dd is a theater kid and a dedicated actor. Her theater company had planned a prodcution of Macbeth, which didn't end up happening, did productions of Midsummer and a medley piece with scenes from Hamlet, Richard III, Midsummer, The Tempest, Othello and Macbeth. So of course she wanted to read the source plays! For a kid who didn't have a passion for Shakespeare I would hold off on some of those for sure. I just realized I should probably explain that this choice to do so much Shakespeare is a result of following dd's passion, not because I think for a second that a kid "should" do so much Shakespeare at a young age.

DD has been in a drama class for 4 years now and really loves it, but they have done things like Disney's Jungle Book and Charlie Brown.  Nothing like what you describe.  That sounds awesome!  

 

She mainly prefers to work behind the scenes so she is big on set and costume design and stage management.  In fact, as an 8th grader she was made Stage Manager that year when they found out they were going to be without some key people.  She did great.  I am going to try and find some resources for set design and see if I can incorporate that somehow.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Yes, I realize we are extremely fortunate to have such a great youth theater company in our small town.  The couple that started it moved to Portland last year, and I was afraid we were going to lose it, but we got a great new Executive Director who also directs a local adult theater company, a very edgy and modern company. He's pulling in a lot of great new talent as directors, and expanding the company to serve kids all the way through 18, essentially until they are ready to join local adult troupes.  They can also intern with his adult company starting at 13, Shannon is going to do that this fall for the first time.

 

In fact, I feel so lucky to have this resource that I joined the board!  Time to give a little back to an organization that has given my kids so much.  With some of my copious free time . . .  :001_rolleyes:  :tongue_smilie:

[katilac]

I would definitely switch to Much Ado and watch the Joss Whedon version. There is a book also, with the screenplay and photos, called Much Ado About Nothing: A Film by Joss Whedon. 

 

What works well for us in general is to go over a literature guide before watching, so that we are familiar with characters, plot, and famous lines. Shakespeare is much more enjoyable when you can actually follow what's happening  :coolgleamA:

 

It's also great when you can watch more than one version, and see that people can have very different interpretations. In high school, I prioritize watching different versions over reading the entire play through (plays are meant to be watched, after all). We did the best with Ado, and watched the Whedon version, the Branagh version, and a live performance. I might even persuade them into one more, as they like David Tennant. 

 

There's generally plenty of lively discussion after watching, but I'm content to leave it casual for the most part.