The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 9.0178  Sunday, 1 March 1998.

[1]     From:   Joseph "Chepe" Lockett <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
        Date:   Friday, 27 Feb 1998 11:31:00 -0600 (CST)
        Subj:   Re: The Curse of MACBETH

[2]     From:   Norm Holland <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
        Date:   Friday, 27 Feb 98 10:31:03 EST
        Subj:   Re: SHK 9.0170  Re: MM


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Joseph "Chepe" Lockett <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date:           Friday, 27 Feb 1998 11:31:00 -0600 (CST)
Subject:        Re: The Curse of MACBETH

The theory I've most enjoyed is that MACBETH's "curse" is a simple and
obvious result of the dangers of performing it.  It's an astoundingly
brisk play, revving up throughout until Act V (in most productions I've
seen) whizzes past in a blur.  At the same time, the play has a great
deal of on-stage violence, from Banquo's murder to Macbeth & Malcolm
facing off, and opportunities for a lot more.

Fast-paced violence, if not thoroughly rehearsed, leads to accidents and
wounded actors.  And enough of those in enough productions leads to the
idea of the play (rather than its production problems) being "bad luck."

(The 1991 Houston production in which I played BANQUO saw our share of
mishaps: actors cut by swords, and slipping or being dropped onto our
concrete rehearsal floor.  Ouch!  But no "real" ghosts necessary.)

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Norm Holland <
 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 >
Date:           Friday, 27 Feb 98 10:31:03 EST
Subject: 9.0170  Re: MM
Comment:        Re: SHK 9.0170  Re: MM

Re: Measure for Measure

You would find a discussion of MfM and its relation to the marriage
ceremony in my ancient book: Norman N. Holland, _The Shakespearean
Imagination_ (Macmillan, 1964; Indiana, 1968).-Best, Norm