Violent Macbeth production shocks teachers
The character Lady Macduff is stabbed repeatedly in the genitals during a central scene in the play produced for Leaving Certs.
This scene isn’t included in the original text and teachers have described it as “horrifying.”
The controversial incident has been defended by the play’s veteran director, Michael Caven.
Macbeth is on the English Leaving Certificate course this year, and 17,000 students watched the play in Donegal, Clare, Kerry and at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin.
“This was a horrifying rape of the whole family and I wanted to show it in a way that would shock the audience.
“This was necessary because people have become impervious to violence from seeing so much of it on TV. They’ve forgotten about the horrors of life,” Mr Caven said.
The director added there were sensitivities among audiences during Shakespeare’s life that didn’t allow violent scenes.
“That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I don’t think it’s relevant that this is not in the text,” said Mr Caven.
However, a teacher from Liberties College in Dublin said she was outraged at the scene. “Both my colleagues and myself have never seen anything like this. It was totally unsuitable for a young audience. I was horrified,” Kerry O’Brien said.
Ms O’Brien, who has been teaching English for three years, was also shocked at the reaction of the predominantly male audience.
“They cheered and applauded when this happened. It was unbelievable and several parents told me they didn’t want their sons watching this play,” she said.
Mr Caven, who has directed the work of Shakespeare for 20 years, said he was surprised at the young audience’s response.
“It was not the reaction that I wanted and there were some comments shouted at the actors that are unprintable. I think this has a lot to do with emotional immaturity among male teenagers,” he said.
The director said that the play didn’t get a similar reaction from mixed schools.
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