Foul Pages

LADY MACDUFF
Wisdom - to leave his wife, to leave his babes,
His mansion, and his titles in a place
From whence himself does fly? He loves us not,
He wants the natural touch, for the poor wren,
The most diminutive of birds, will fight,
Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
All is the fear and nothing is the love;
As little is the wisdom, where the flight
So runs against all reason.

The scene of Lady MacDuff, child, & Ross is a huge performance moment and challenge - as a director a scene I have both loved and feared! I have never directed it with a male child as per the script. I have employed a female child, partially because of doubling of cast, which has brought a unique quality to the child’s sass and spirit; or deleted the child altogether, which has turned a painful and amazing spotlight on the strength in fragility of Lady MacDuff.

I would love to hear your experience of this scene - there is no right or wrong - and how it lived and spoke first you.

📸 as Lady MacDuff & as Child in production i directed for

“Alack, why am I sent for to a king before I have shook off the regal thoughts wherein I reigned? I hardly yet have learned to insinuate, flatter, now, and bend my knee. Give sorrow leave awhile to tutor me to this submission.” Richard II.

Loved supporting my students on stage for brilliant term-end student performance of this speech of Richard II. Lucky to do what I do!

RICHARD II
Yet I well remember the favours of these men. Were they not mine? Did they not sometimes cry “All Hail” to me?

So Judas did to Christ, but He in twelve found truth in all but one;
I, in twelve thousand, none.

God save the King! Will no man say “amen”?
Am I both priest and clerk? Well, then, amen.

God save the King, although I be not he,
And yet amen, if heaven do not think him me.

RII is so rich with beautiful phases and capturing of this unique soul. Loving watching my current students working with this, and the contrasting Bolingbroke.