Orson Welles and The Unusual Production of MacBeth

Orson Welles and The Unusual Production of MacBeth


It was March 1945.

And talented director and actor of stage, radio and film the great Orson Welles was directing a short scene from William Shakespeare's MacBeth for an upcoming charity event.


Welles (in front of the stage):  All right. Enter the three witches.


(Thunder and lightning. Enter three witches)


First Witch (lowering "her" cowl to reveal the face of Adolf Hitler- a fact which startles Orson Welles):

When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning or in rain?


Second Witch (lowering her "cowl" to reveal the face of Josef Stalin- a fact which also startles Orson Welles):

When the hurlyburly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.



Third Witch (lowers its cowl to reveal a face wearing a mask. It speaks in a very metallic sounding voice):

That will be ere the set of sun.


(On the wall at the back of the stage are flashed images of a solar eclipse followed by a blood red moon)


First Witch (Hitler):  Where the place?


Second Witch (Stalin):  Upon the heath.


(A strange multicoloured spiral image is then projected on to the screen behind the stage. Orson Welles does not recognize the image on this day in March 1945 but later generations would have recognized the spiral as the double helix of DNA)


Third Witch (with mask and metallic sounding voice):   There to meet with MacBeth.


(The image of a face is then projected on to the screen behind the stage)



Orson Welles (waking up in bed with a start):  Great heavens!


Rita Hayworth (next to him): What is it?


Orson Welles: I just had the most terrifying dream.


Rita Hayworth:  What was it?

Orson Welles (scratching his head): I can't remember... it's receding from my memory... but...


Rita Hayworth: But what?


Orson Welles:  I have seen the future... and it's a nightmare.



-A vampire novel chapter
 written by Christopher
 Tuesday March 31st
 2015.


Sent from my iPhone