Feeling that I had managed to capture the interest of an otherwise diffident group of 13-year-old boys in ‘Macbeth’, I asked for volunteers to read aloud.
John, usually restless after the first few minutes, was one of the first to volunteer. I offered him the part of the “bloody Captain”. He accepted without hesitation.
He struggled with the language at first, but found some sort of rhythm. Soon he was into the Captain’s second speech: “So from that spring whence comfort seemed to come discomfort swells. Mark King of Scotland.”
Suddenly he stopped.
“What’s the matter, John?” He looked up, puzzled. “But Sir, you said that Duncan was the King of Scotland. Who’s Mark?” Neill Morton We pay pound;30 for each Soundbite we publish. Send yours, of about 200 words, to Sarah Bayliss, The TES, Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield, London E1 9XY. Fax: 0171 782 3200. Web site: www.tes.co.uk
