Looking for Lady Macbeth

June 17, 2011 9:34 PM

I am looking for great performances of Lady Macbeth. Please point me towards any recordings (video, audio) of Lady M's finest moments. I don't need whole productions of Macbeth, just great performances of Macbeth's wife. Online, preferably.

I am particularly looking for performances of Act 1, Scene 5 "unsex me here", Act 1, Scene 7 "I have given suck" and Act 5, Scene 1 "Out damn spot!"

The only film version I'm really familiar with is Polanski's Macbeth (which I believe excises "unsex me here"), but I'm sure there are lots of great clips online of theatrical performances.

posted by crossoverman to media & arts (8 answers total)

Judi Dench, better known outside the UK as 'M' from the 007 films.
posted by Homo economicus at 9:58 PM on June 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

Do you have Netflix? Rupert Goold's version, starring Kate Fleetwood as Lady Macbeth (and Patrick Stewart as Macbeth) is on Watch Instantly. It's set during the Cold War, quite dark and creepy.
posted by lucysparrow at 11:51 PM on June 17, 2011 [2 favorites]

Do you have Netflix?

Unfortunately, no, I'm in Australia. I will try to source that version, though, since I've been wanting to see Patrick Stewart as Macbeth for a while! Thanks for reminding me of it.
posted by crossoverman at 12:30 AM on June 18, 2011

Out damn spot

better known outside the UK as 'M' from the 007 film (groan)
posted by the noob at 12:48 AM on June 18, 2011

Here is the Macbeth starring Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood. In the US I can watch it in its entirety online - hope the streaming will work in Australia! That said, while I think that version is interesting and Fleetwood is good (especially in the sleepwalking scene), Judi Dench is still my favorite Lady Macbeth.
posted by katie at 4:20 AM on June 18, 2011

Maria Callas .
posted by Oli D. at 2:09 PM on June 18, 2011

Here is the Macbeth starring Patrick Stewart and Kate Fleetwood. In the US I can watch it in its entirety online - hope the streaming will work in Australia!

Region locked. :-(
posted by crossoverman at 6:36 PM on June 18, 2011

I second Judi Dench. I LOVED her performance.
posted by lexicakes at 10:50 PM on June 18, 2011