Correspondent: Mr. Johnston

It is not every day that you come to school to learn about treachery, murder and deceit, but that is exactly how Year 6 spent their afternoon with the Young Shakespeare Company and their production of Macbeth.

Bringing Shakespeare's shortest, but most brutal, tragedy to life, the children embarked on the start of their acting careers as key figures from the play and providing the Foley sounds to sent the scene. 

First, we met the loyal, unsuspecting King Duncan; his son Malcolm; brave Macbeth and his once faithful companion Banquo. Setting the scene with noises of the dark and distant heath, we dove into the tragic events with Macbeth and Banquo receiving the prophecies of the wicked sisters proclaiming, "All hail Macbeth! He shall be king hereafter!".

Once we had carefully explored how Macbeth, upon hearing this prophecy, had felt. Once we had explored how the wicked sisters predicted that Fleance (Banquo's son) would one day succeed to the throne. Soon, word reached our Macbeth of his instatement at Thane of Cawdor - the original having been removed for treason - and with it the first prophecy was confirmed.

Across the Scottish lands, the Castle Glamis emerges with the Lady Macbeth. Receiving word from her husband of his newest position and his encounter upon the heath, Lady Macbeth's ambitions to rule Scotland as queen commences leading her to call upon evil spirits overcome her for the task before her. The King is coming as is the time for her to act.

With King Duncan's standard bearers in position and the royal salute ringing out from amongst the children, the king finally arrives to celebrate Macbeth and his bravery in battle. As the feasting and celebrations commences and continues, Macbeth begins to have second thoughts taking himself away from the guests to explore the reasons for whether he ought to go through with his wife's evil plans to assassinate King Duncan.

Discovering that he has left the celebrations, Lady Macbeth seeks out her husband to learn he intends not to commit murder. Upon hearing the news, Lady Macbeth seizes her opportunity to convince him that the plan is the only right path to glory, but how? She belittles him; humiliates him and chastises him for lack of ambition. Finally, Macbeth agrees and - together - they form a plan. To murder the unsuspecting King Duncan, whilst he sleeps, and frame those who guard his room. 

Agreeing to remove the king's guards using a 'sleeping draft' before using their daggers to commit the murder. By spreading the King's blood upon the sleeping guards, it would be clear to all who find the scene who was responsible. 

Awaiting the three chimes of the bell, Macbeth's conscience emerges and leads him to hallucinate a dagger before him. Upon the third chime, Macbeth strikes despite his better judgement. Having murdered the loyal King Duncan, Macbeth hears voices, "Sleep no more. Thane of Glamis, sleeps no more." 

Distressed by his actions, Macbeth fails to leave the daggers with the sleeping guards and, having met his wife once more, breaks down. Lady Macbeth, furious with her husband's apparent weakness, returns the murder weapon to the scene and sets about hiding any evidence which links them. 

Macduff, another loyal thane of King Duncan, arrives in the morning to lead the King away to his next appointment, only to find the murdered ruler. Summoning help from others in the castle, Macduff discovers the guards lying, covered in blood with the daggers upon them. However, Macbeth - rather than arresting the guards as Macduff had wanted - murders the guards alone. As Macduff becomes increasing suspicious of the scene he has discovered, Lady Macbeth faints to distract and avert attention from themselves.

Discovering that their father has been murdered, the children of King Duncan flee for protection. Fleeing only convinces the Scottish that it was they, who had murdered the loyal king.

"All hail Macbeth! King of Scottish!" roars from the banks of children as the new king emerges. Surely, Macbeth and his wife's ambitions have been realised.

Of course, heavy is the head that wears the crown and soon Macbeth comes to realise that with power comes enormous responsibility. Efforts are made to consolidate power leading to the death of his former best friend Banquo, whose son (Fleance) manages to escape. Over time, Macbeth becomes increasingly troubled and sees treachery in every corner. He hears that Macduff has ridden out to England to seek King Duncan's sons to raise an army against Macbeth. Angered by disloyalty, Macbeth orders the murder of Macduff's wife and children before seeking reassurance from the witches that his position as king is defended. 

The weird sisters, intrigued by Macbeth's desire to seek further information tell him that "Macbeth cannot be killed by a man who is woman born" and that he will remain safe so long as the Birnam Wood does not come to Dunsinan.

His spirits much enlivened, Macbeth returns to his castle. Soon, Macduff and the army of the former king's children arrive. Macduff orders his soldiers to take boughs from the trees of the forest to act as camouflage and to march, as one, toward Macbeth's homestead. It appeared to Macbeth, just as the witches had foretold, that he would be safe so long as the Birnam Wood does not come to Dunsinan and yet the forest moved. Closer and closer still. It is as all out war is to take place that Macbeth learns of the death of his wife. Driven mad by her evil deeds, Lady Macbeth had been caught sleep walking regularly; crying and attempting to remove 'dreadful spots' from her seemingly clear hands. How she died no one knows. 

Eventually, a bloody battle ensues and Macbeth comes face-to-face with Macduff. Engaged in fierce battle, Macbeth finally strikes Macduff and it appears as if the war is over. Macbeth turns to flee the battle field and Macduff calls after him, "Coward!". Macbeth, emboldened by the words of the witches, tells Macduff that he cannot be defeated by a man born of woman. Little does he know that the words he has just uttered signals to Macduff that his time to overthrow Macbeth has arrived. Macduff, as was unusual for the time, was deliver by caesarean section and thus not naturally of a woman. Staggered by Macduff's revelation, Macbeth attempts to fight on but, as is the case in tragedies, succumbs and loses his life to Macduff. Scotland is returned to Malcolm, son of King Duncan.