DAVINA: Good evening to you both. 

LADY MACBETH: Good evening, Davina. 

MACBETH: Hello. 

DAVINA: So it's the evening of your big banquet. The first formal occasion of your new reign as king and queen. This must be very exciting for you. I mean, I know there's been some things bothering you. Especially you, your highness. But maybe this will be a chance to just relax and enjoy yourselves? The place looks great. The food smells delicious. And the dining hall is full of guests, with Ross and Lennox and a bunch of Lords with their entourages. 

MACBETH: Well, they all know who should sit where. So they should sit down and we can get started. I'll do the mingling for now. You just take it easy. 

DAVINA: Are you okay? 

MACBETH: She's fine. 

LADY MACBETH: Go ahead and welcome everybody. I'll address them later. 

MACBETH: Remember, we're all here to celebrate us. You're in good company. I want everybody to have a good time. We should all do a toast. 

DAVINA: Um, sure. If I could just quickly point out that one of the murderers you were talking to earlier has entered the room. 

LADY MACBETH: He has? 

MACBETH: I should talk to him. Discreetly, of course. 

DAVINA: Yes, well let's see. You go directly to him, and notice that there's some blood on his face. And he tells you that it must be Banquo's blood. 

MACBETH: I'd rather have Banquo's blood on this murderer's face than in Banquo's body. 

DAVINA: Oh, dear.  

MACBETH: So Banquo's dead? 

DAVINA: Yes. The murderer tells you that he cut Banquo's throat. 

MACBETH: Well, then. This guy is the best of the cutthroats. And if he cut the throat of Fleance, too, then he's the best cutthroat that ever lived. 

DAVINA: Yes, well. About that. He says that Fleance has escaped. That's bad, right? I mean you needed to kill Banquo and his son if you're really going to protect yourself. And you know, prove the witches wrong. 

MACBETH: Then comes my fit again. 

DAVINA: Your fit? Oh, right. Being upset, you mean. 

MACBETH: I was so close to being back to myself just now. 

DAVINA: Yes, as whole as marble, you say. As free and easy as a gentle breeze. 

MACBETH: But now I'm all pent up again. Locked in a box, overruled by my doubts and fears. 

DAVINA: I'm sorry. 

MACBETH: But Banquo's dead, right? 

DAVINA: He is. As the murderer tells you, Banquo is dead in a ditch with 20 gashes on his head, the least of which would have killed him on its own. Starting to feel a little queasy. 

MACBETH: Oh, good. I should thank this man for his service to me. 

DAVINA: Well, sure. That sounds like progress. At least you can look on the good side. Banquo's dead. Who cares about Fleance right now, right? 

MACBETH: The serpent lies dead. 

DAVINA: Banquo you mean? 

MACBETH: The little worm Fleance has escaped, and he'll be my enemy eventually. But for the moment, he has no teeth. 

DAVINA: So he's not a danger to you now. 

MACBETH: This man should leave my party. We can talk more about it tomorrow. 

LADY MACBETH: And you haven't given the toast yet, honey. Everybody's waiting. It's not really a feast without a toast. 

MACBETH: Thanks for reminding me, dear. May good digestion serve your appetite, and both of them serve your health. 

DAVINA: That's the toast? 

LADY MACBETH: That was a good toast, honey. 

DAVINA: Well, then, I guess the feast is off and running. And let's see. Lennox encourages you to sit down with him, your highness. 

MACBETH: Sure. But I just want to point out to everybody, that here we all are. The best our country has to offer, all under one roof. Well, that is if Banquo were here too. 

DAVINA: You're saying this to everybody? 

MACBETH: That's right. And I hope I can accuse Banquo of being rude when he shows up late, rather than finding out that something bad has happened to him, God forbid. 

DAVINA: Well, Ross says Banquo promised to be there, so it's his fault if he's not. And then Ross asks you to go ahead and sit down with them. 

MACBETH: Well, sure. I mean, assuming there's a spot at the table. 

DAVINA: Well, let's see. I mean Banquo's not here yet, so you'd think his spot's available. Are you OK? 

MACBETH: Who did this? Can't say I did it. 

DAVINA: I didn't say—

MACBETH: Don't shake your gory locks at me! 

DAVINA: Did you say gory locks? I don't think he's doing too well. 

LADY MACBETH: It's okay. He's fine. Everyone calm down. This happens sometimes, since he was a kid. It's just a momentary fit. He'll be fine in a second. The more we pay attention, the longer it will last. Everybody, eat and drink up. Are you a man? 

MACBETH: Of course I am, and a brave one. Who else would dare look on something that would appall the devil himself? 

DAVINA: You know it's a good thing I know you're hallucinating. 

LADY MACBETH: You're being ridiculous. It's your fear you're seeing. Remember the dagger you said you saw before you, leading you to a Duncan? You're imagining things again. 

MACBETH: Look. Don't you see him? 

DAVINA: Ah. See, he said him. He's imagining something, all right. He's certainly not talking about me. 

MACBETH: If graves are going to send back the dead, what's the use of burying people? We may as well be eaten by vultures. 

LADY MACBETH: Have you lost your mind? And your manhood? 

DAVINA: It looks like he's coming out of it. Your highness? 

MACBETH: As I sit here now, I'm telling you, he was sitting right there. 

LADY MACBETH: You should be ashamed of yourself 

MACBETH: It's not like he's the first person who's ever been murdered, right? It used to be that you could dash a man's brains out and that would be the end of the story. But no. Now they rise from the dead with a crown of 20 wounds on their head to push me from my throne. This, what happened just now, is stranger than any murder. 

LADY MACBETH: Okay. That's enough, honey. Have you've forgotten that we're out in public? And we have a party to host. 

MACBETH: Oh. Right. Uh, uh, pay no attention to me, my worthy friends. It's this sickness I have, pops up every once in a while. Though those who know me well are used to it. A toast! Love and health to all. Could I maybe get a glass of wine? 

DAVINA: We could try. Wouldn't mind one myself. 

MACBETH: I'd like to make a toast to the joy of everyone here. And to our dear friend Banquo. We miss him. I mean, you know, we wish he were here with us. Get out of my sight! You have no life in you! 

DAVINA: It's really hard not to take this personally. 

LADY MACBETH: Pay no attention to it, it's nothing really. It's just a little annoying while it's happening. 

MACBETH: I'm as brave as any man. If you were a bear, or a rhinoceros, or a tiger I wouldn't flinch. Take any shape but that, and I'd have nerves of steel. Or come back to life and fight me as a man. But this I can't stand. Leave you horrible ghost! Oh. Thank God. Davina, you're a lovely sight. Well. That's more like it. Now I'm a man again. Where were we? 

LADY MACBETH: Well, we were having a party, but I think you've soured the mood a little. 

MACBETH: And why am I the only one reacting? How can the rest of you see such things and not freak out, like I do? 

DAVINA: You could actually help us out with that. What exactly were you seeing? 

LADY MACBETH: I don't think we need to go there. You know, he just gets mad if you start asking him questions. Makes things worse. So let's call it a night. Thanks everybody for coming. 

DAVINA: That's it, just like that? 

LADY MACBETH: Yep. Good night, everybody out. 

DAVINA: Well, okay. Let's see. Lennox says he hopes you feel better, your highness, and then soon enough everybody has left. Party over. 

MACBETH: It will have blood. They say blood will have blood. 

DAVINA: You mean vengeance? Since you've spilled blood, it's coming for your blood next. As you put it, nature finds a way to reveal even the most hidden of murderers. 

MACBETH: What time is it? 

LADY MACBETH: Almost morning, I think. 

DAVINA: That's right. As you put it, it's exactly that time when you don't know whether to call it morning or night. Which is interesting, if you think about it. I mean we've been hearing so much about how words can be slippery, you know? It's not always clear what they mean. And here's an example, where we have two opposite words, day and night, and neither one really applies. 

MACBETH: Why do you think Macduff wasn't here? 

LADY MACBETH: Have you sent someone to find out? 

MACBETH: I could, but I have spies in every house, I'll find out one way or another. And I'm going straight to the weird sisters tomorrow. I'll make them tell me what lies ahead, no matter how bad it is. 

DAVINA: Aren't you a little worried that that might push you in the direction of even more violence? 

MACBETH: I am in blood, stepped in so far that should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o'er. 

DAVINA: So. You're thinking you might as well keep spilling blood now that you've come this far. 

MACBETH: Strange things I have in head that will to hand, which must be acted, ere or they may be scanned. 

DAVINA: Ere they be scanned? You mean before you even think about them? Is that what you're saying? There are things you want to do, bad things, I assume, and you just want to do them without thinking about it more. Are you sure that's a good idea? 

LADY MACBETH: You just need some sleep. 

DAVINA: Yes, well that seems to be another reoccurring theme. If you learn one thing from this story, folks, it's to get a good night's sleep. 

MACBETH: And we will. Tonight was just a bump in the road. We're new to this, after all. We'll get better at this murdering business. 

DAVINA: Maybe try a good night's sleep, first. Reconsider things in the light of day. But thanks for joining us. I hope you both sleep well. 

LADY MACBETH: Thanks Davina. I'm sure we will.