M.A.C.B.E.T.H.
Written and directed by Linda Mussmann, this one-woman redux restaged the Shakespeare classic from the perspective of the enigmatic LADY M, as portrayed by Claudia Bruce. The implementation of simultaneous overhead projection, on-stage audio cassette decks, 8mm film, and live video playback, marked a technological shift in Mussmann’s craft. Lady M’s most dazzling aspirations and fears were given unique deconstructionist form in a piece described by theater scholar Elinor Fuchs as an “excursus on female power.”
adapted, designed & directed by LINDA MUSSMANN in collaboration with CLAUDIA BRUCE as Lady M video & movies by MUSSMANN audio tapes by BRUCE & MUSSMANN costume by MARY BENCK technical assistance by PHILIP SHEPHERD“Balls!" said the queen, “If I had ‘em, I’d be king.”
1990
Cunningham Dance Studio, NYC
Connecticut College, New London, CT
TSL Studio, NYC
Thornes DepARTment, MA
Hudson Middle School, NY
1991
Zürich Theater Spektakel, Switzerland
2nd International Forum of Radio Art, MACROPHON-91, Poland
Kantor Theater, Krakow, Poland
Laboratory Theater, Wroclaw, Poland
Contemporary Arts Center, Warsaw, Poland
1992
Center for Contemporary Architecture, Montreal, Canada
RPI Playhouse, Troy, NY
1993
TSL WareHouse, Hudson, NY
Marilyn French, writing for Ms. Magazine — March 1991
“Claudia Bruce […] is ‘she’ who experiences everything. She speaks to Duncan across a table, offering him food and drink, a good hostess. In a bloody, power-worshiping world, she too wants power but is forever barred from it, and exclaims in furious anguish that the mere possession of balls could make her king. As bombs explode over the sound system, she stands at the mirror, making up her face. Light turns her white robe red, turns her pale hands red; she licks red light from the knife. She becomes a silhouette on a screen. The video screen shows a white bowl filled with what looks like mother’s chicken soup until small stones drop into it, stones in sand. She cries that she is broken. The screen turns her image red; red words scrawl across it: ‘she’s busted.’
Mussmann suggests what it feels like to be Lady Macbeth—the long waiting, the forced inaction: she puts on makeup, makes up her face, waits, holding in the energy, waits, while men storm down hallways, and inspired by bagpipes’ martial music, explode the world. Blood drips on the white plate on the screen; the gallows-tree flickers on the backdrop scrim.”
Linda Mussmann:
“It was the early 1990's and the Women's movement was flagging. We were bombing Baghdad...technology had made using video and audio more possible for me to use in my work---I was looking to find a way to make work with just Claudia and myself- since our funds had been cut drastically by the return of the National Endowment funds in 1989---it became increasingly more difficult for us to support a company--the solution was to make a piece for the 2 of us to perform and travel with--
Macbeth is one of my favorite plays--it was the first play I read in high school and remains my favorite. The adaptation that is my favorite is Kurosawa's Throne of Blood with Toshiro Mifune-- and here Lady M. is a Noh character---the opening of this movie is powerful and most scary--Mifune tearing through the woods on horseback....etc. etc.
My thinking about the play is that after Lady Macbeth is gone, the play turns into nothing but endless murder and slaughter--her character holds the play as a counter--without her Macbeth diminishes--she is the center--and after he is killed, the line that is important to me is ‘TIME IS FREE’
'[Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH's head]MACDUFF Hail, king! for so thou art: behold, where standsThe usurper's cursed head: the time is free."'
